Apparatus and method for recording and reproducing information

ABSTRACT

When recording operation is stopped due to, for example, unexpected interruption of electric power supply in the course of the recording operation on a real time basis, a technique of repairing a moving picture and sound data recorded on a recording medium until the recording is stopped, to thereby restore management information data which enables random access and special reproduction is provided. A video/audio/management information multiplexing means is so implemented as to generate data required for generating management information data for allowing random access to the recording medium and effectuating special reproduction of the recording medium, for thereby multiplexing the data required for generating the management information data, encoded video data outputted from a video encoding means and encoded audio data outputted from an audio encoding means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for recordinginformation on a recording medium or a technique for reproducinginformation from a recording medium.

[0002] As to the techniques concerning the recording medium and therecording apparatus for recording pictures and voices or sounds on areal time basis as well as reproducing apparatus and editors,description can be found, for example, in Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open Publication No. 187354/1999 (JP-A-11-187354).

[0003] More specifically, described in the publication mentioned aboveare a technique for recording on a recording medium video and/or audiodata on a real time basis and recording management information data onthe recording medium equally on a real time basis for making it possibleto realize random access and special reproduction. However, whenelectric power supply to the apparatus is, for example, unexpectedlybroken with the recording operation being thereby interrupted, the videoand/or audio data and additionally the management information data willincorrectly be recorded on the recording medium without meetingpredetermined format-related requirements.

[0004] By way of example, suppose that a battery has come off suddenlyor unexpectedly in the course of taking picture or photographing with acamera in the field out of door and thereafter power supply is againturned on. In that case, processing for repairing or remedying themanagement information data is executed in order to enable the randomaccess to the video/audio data and the special reproduction, whichinvolves consumption of lots of time as well as power consumption of thebattery, making thus it impossible to perform the video/audio recordingas the user desires.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique ofrepairing or remedying video and audio data having been recorded on arecording medium until stoppage of recording operation takes place dueto, for example, unexpected breakage of electric power supply to therebyrepair or restore the management information data which are used forenabling the random access and the special reproducing or playbackoperation.

[0006] Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to providean apparatus which is so arranged that when electric power supply isunexpectedly shut down in the course of recording operation performed ona real time basis and when the power supply is subsequently restarted,repair processing of the video/audio data and the management informationdata for enabling the random access and the special reproduction isomitted to thereby avoid wasteful time and power consumption whileallowing the real-time based recording operation to be restartedimmediately and thus ensuring significantly enhanced user-friendlinessof the apparatus.

[0007] An information recording/reproducing apparatus which presentinvention concerns comprises a recording data multiplexing means formultiplexing at least encoded video data and encoded audio data, arecord data storing means for storing data outputted from theabove-mentioned recording data multiplexing means, amanagement-information-generation-destined data generating means forgenerating data required for generating management information forreproducing data recorded on the above-mentioned recording medium on thebasis of data obtained from the above-mentioned recording datamultiplexing means, a management information storing means for storingthe above-mentioned management information, a management informationgenerating means for generating the above-mentioned managementinformation on the basis of the output of the above-mentionedmanagement-information-generation-destined data generating means forwriting or reading the above-mentioned management information in or fromthe management information storing means, a recording medium driveprocessing means for recording or reading on or from the recordingmedium at least information outputted from the above-mentioned recordingdata storing means or information outputted from the above-mentionedmanagement information generating means, a recording status storingmeans for storing status information indicative of status of therecording processing, and a consolidative management means for managingthe above-mentioned recording data multiplexing means, the recordingdata storing means, the above-mentionedmanagement-information-generation-destined data generating means, theabove-mentioned management information generating means, theabove-mentioned management information storing means, theabove-mentioned recording medium drive processing means and theabove-mentioned recording status storing means, wherein theabove-mentioned consolidative management means is arranged to write orread out the above-mentioned status information onto or from theabove-mentioned recording status storing means.

[0008] Alternatively, an information recording/reproducing apparatuswhich the present invention concerns is an informationrecording/reproducing apparatus arranged for recording video and audiodata on a recording medium which comprises a video encoding means forencoding an analog video signal, an audio encoding means for encoding ananalog audio signal, a video/audio/management information multiplexingmeans (which may include the aforementioned recording data multiplexingmeans and the aforementioned management-information-generation-destineddata generating means) for generating data required for generatingmanagement information data for making random access to the recordingmedium and effectuating special reproduction of the recording medium forthereby multiplexing the data required for generating the managementinformation data, the encoded video data outputted from the videoencoding means and encoded audio data outputted from the audio encodingmeans, a stream buffer (which may be constituted by the aforementionedrecording data storing means) for storing multiplexed data outputtedfrom the video/audio/management information multiplexing means by apredetermined amount for writing the above-mentioned multiplexed dataonto the recording medium as a bit stream file, a volatile managementinformation expansion memory (which may be constituted by theaforementioned management information storing means) for storing theabove-mentioned management information data, a management informationgenerating means for generating management information data from thedata required for generation of the management information data tothereby write the management information data in the volatile managementinformation expansion memory while writing the management informationdata onto the recording medium in the form of a management informationfile, a management information expanding means for reading out themanagement information file from the recording medium to thereby expandthe management information file on the volatile management informationexpansion memory, a recording medium drive means (which may beconstituted by the recording medium drive processing means) for directlyreading or writing data from or onto the recording medium, a nonvolatilerecording status memory (which may be constituted by the recordingstatus storing means) which is a nonvolatile memory for storing processof recording processing, and a consolidative management means formanaging consolidatively the above-mentioned video encoding means, theabove-mentioned audio encoding means, the above-mentionedvideo/audio/management information multiplexing means, theabove-mentioned stream buffer, the above-mentioned managementinformation generating means, the above-mentioned management informationexpanding means, the above-mentioned volatile management informationexpansion memory and the above-mentioned recording medium drive means,to thereby write or read the status of processings thereof in or fromthe nonvolatile recording status memory. With the structure describedabove, it is contemplated that when the electric power supply isunexpectedly broken in the course of real-time-based recording, thestatus of recording in which the electric power supply was broken in thecourse of recording on the real time basis is stored in the nonvolatilememory.

[0009] Parenthetically, it should be added that the aforementionedvideo/audio/management information multiplexing means may be so designedthat the data required for generating the management information dataare not necessarily be multiplexed with the encoded video data and theencoded audio data. However, the aforementioned video/audio/managementinformation multiplexing means should be so designed as to generate atleast the data required for generation of the management informationdata which is to be outputted or supplied to the management informationgenerating means.

[0010] Further, the data which are used upon generation of the datarequired for generating the management information data are notrestricted to the encoded video data and the encoded audio data but maybe such data which can be used for generating the management informationdata required for enabling the random access to the recorded bit streamfile and the reproduce processing such as the special reproduction.

[0011] Further, an information recording/reproducing apparatus which thepresent invention concerns is so arranged that in the aforementionedinformation recording/reproducing apparatuses, it comprises a recordingmedium drive processing means for recording or reading out informationon or from a recording medium, a record data demultiplexing means fordemultiplexing the encoded video data and the encoded audio data fromthe information read out from the recording medium, amanagement-information-generation-destined data generating means forgenerating data required for generating management information forreproducing data recorded on the aforementioned recording medium on thebasis of the data obtained from the above-mentioned record datademultiplexing means, the aforementioned management information storingmeans for storing the aforementioned management information, theaforementioned management information generating means for generatingthe management information on the basis of output of the above-mentionedmanagement-information-generation-destined data generating means forwriting or reading out the management information in or from theabove-mentioned management information storing means, a managementinformation reading means for reading out the management informationfrom information read out from the aforementioned recording medium foroutputting the management information to the above-mentioned managementinformation storing means, and a consolidative management means formanaging the above-mentioned record data demultiplexing means, theabove-mentioned management-information-generation-destined datagenerating means, the above-mentioned management information generatingmeans, the above-mentioned management information storing means, theabove-mentioned recording medium drive processing means, theabove-mentioned management information reading means and theabove-mentioned recording status storing means, wherein theaforementioned recording medium drive processing means is designed torecord the information outputted from the above-mentioned managementinformation generating means on the above-mentioned recording medium,and wherein the above-mentioned consolidative management means isdesigned to write or read out the aforementioned status information ontoor from the above-mentioned recording status storing means.

[0012] Alternatively, an information recording/reproducing apparatuswhich the present invention concerns comprises a video/audio/managementinformation demultiplexing means (which may include the aforementionedrecording data demultiplexing means and the aforementionedmanagement-information-generation-destined data generating means) forreading out the aforementioned bit stream file recorded on a recordingmedium to thereby demultiplex encoded video data, encoded audio data anddata required for generating management information data, a volatilemanagement information expansion memory for storing the managementinformation data, a management information generating means forgenerating management information data from data required for generationof the management information data to thereby write the managementinformation data in the volatile management information expansion memorywhile writing the management information data onto the recording mediumin the form of a management information file, a management informationexpanding means (which may be constituted by the aforementionedmanagement information reading means) for reading out the managementinformation file from the recording medium to thereby expand themanagement information file on the volatile management informationexpansion memory, a recording medium drive means for directly reading orwriting data from or onto the recording medium, a nonvolatile recordingstatus memory which is a nonvolatile memory for storing process ofrecording processing, and a consolidative management means for managingconsolidatively the above-mentioned video/audio/management informationdemultiplexing means, the above-mentioned management informationgenerating means, the above-mentioned management information expandingmeans, the above-mentioned volatile management information expansionmemory and the above-mentioned recording medium drive means, to therebywrite or read the status of processings thereof in or from data of thenonvolatile recording status memory. With this arrangement, it iscontemplated that when the power supply is unexpectedly broken in thecourse of recording on a real time basis and when the power supply issubsequently restarted, the status of the real time recording in whichthe power supply was broken is acquired from the nonvolatile memory forremedying correspondingly the data written on the recording medium.

[0013] At this juncture, it should be added that although it has beendescribed that the above-mentioned video/audio/management informationdemultiplexing means is designed to read out the aforementioned bitstream file recorded on the recording medium for demultiplexing orseparating the data required for generating the management informationdata, it is not always necessary to perform the processing fordemultiplexing or separating the data required for generating themanagement information. However, it is preferred that thevideo/audio/management information demultiplexing means be so designedas to generate at least the data required for generating the managementinformation data which is to be supplied to the management informationgeneration processing.

[0014] Furthermore, the data used by the above-mentionedvideo/audio/management information demultiplexing means for generatingthe data required for the generation of the management information dataare not restricted to the encoded video data and the encoded audio databut may be the data capable of being used for generating the managementinformation data which are required for making random access to the bitstream file recorded in the aforementioned recording medium and for thereproduce processing such as the special reproduction and the like.Incidentally, in the information recording/reproducing apparatusdescribed above, the aforementioned recording status storing means maybe constituted by a storing means which is capable of holding the storedinformation notwithstanding of breakage of the electric power supply.

[0015] Besides, in the information recording/reproducing apparatusdescribed above, it is preferred that the information recorded on therecording medium be so processed that it can be reproduced on the basisof the status information read out from the recording status storingmeans mentioned previously.

[0016] Further, in the information recording/reproducing apparatusdescribed above, it is preferred that the information read out from therecording medium be checked on the basis of the aforementioned statusinformation read out from the aforementioned recording status storingmeans to thereby delete data extending from a record unit or segmentcontaining the unreproducible information up to an end of a file.

[0017] Moreover, in the information recording/reproducing apparatusdescribed above, it is preferred that a group of management units orsegments composed of information read out from the aforementionedrecording medium be checked on the basis of the aforementioned statusinformation read out from the aforementioned recording status storingmeans to thereby delete the management unit or segment including therecord unit or segment containing the unreproducible information, andthat those management units or segments which include a starting one ofthe management unit or segment group up to the record unit or segmentcontaining the aforementioned unreproducible information be defined as afirst management unit or segment group while the management units orsegments including the record unit or segment containing theaforementioned unreproducible information up to the end of theabove-mentioned management unit or segment group be defined as a secondmanagement unit group.

[0018] Parenthetically, when the present invention is applied to thecase where the stream conforming to the DVD Video Recording Standards(hereinafter simply referred to as the VR standards), the aforementionedrecord unit or segment may be equivalent to the pack specified in the VRstandards, while the management unit or segment may correspond to VOBU(VOB Unit) with the management unit (segment) group corresponding to VOB(Video Object).

[0019] Further, an apparatus which the present invention concerns isarranged such that in the information recording/reproducing apparatusdescribed above, the information outputted from the aforementionedrecording data storing means is recorded in the form of a data file onthe aforementioned recording medium with the information outputted fromthe aforementioned management information generating means beingrecorded as first and second plural sets of management informationfiles, and that the apparatus comprises a file system manage processingmeans for managing the files so that the file can be written or read onor from the aforementioned recording medium in a predetermined fileformat or a new file can be generated from two files, a first managementinformation file read processing means for reading out the first set ofmanagement information file from the above-mentioned file system manageprocessing means, a first management information storing means forstoring the above-mentioned first set of management information read outfrom the above-mentioned first management information file readprocessing means as first management information, a managementinformation file write processing means for reading out theabove-mentioned first management information from the above-mentionedfirst management information storing means to thereby write theabove-mentioned first management information in the file system manageprocessing means as the above-mentioned first set of managementinformation file, a second management information file read processingmeans for reading out the above-mentioned second set of managementinformation file from the above-mentioned file system manage processingmeans, a second management information storing means for storing theabove-mentioned second set of management information read out from theabove-mentioned second management information file read processing meansas second management information, a combine processing means forgenerating new management information from the information stored in theabove-mentioned first management information storing means and theinformation stored in the above-mentioned second management informationstoring means to thereby write the new management information in theabove-mentioned first management information storing means, wherein theabove-mentioned data file and the above-mentioned plural sets ofmanagement information files are combined in one set.

[0020] Furthermore, an information recording/reproducing apparatus whichthe present invention concerns may be so arranged that in theinformation recording/reproducing apparatus described above, a first setof the data file and the aforementioned management information filerecorded on the aforementioned recording medium are checked on the basisof the aforementioned status information read out from theaforementioned recording status storing means to thereby alter anidentifier of the above-mentioned first set to a second identifier inthe case where the unreproducible information is included in the firstset, wherein a new data file and a new management information file to berecorded on the above-mentioned recording medium is recorded on theabove-mentioned recording medium as a first set of the new data file andthe new management information file.

[0021] In this conjunction, let's consider, for example, a case wherethe present invention is applied to handling of the stream whichconforms to the VR standards. When a file resident in a DVD_RTAVdirectory is in the state insusceptible of being normally reproduced dueto interruption of recording because of the occurrence of unexpectedbreakage of the power supply in the course of the recording, there mayarise such situation that the recording can not be started unless thefile is repaired or remedied to the state susceptible of normalreproduction.

[0022] Thus, by applying the teachings of the present inventiondescribed above, the name of the DVD_RTAV directory containing the fileof the state insusceptible of normal reproduction (identifier of thefirst set) is altered to e.g. a DVD_RTAV_BAK directory (identifier ofthe second set). As a result of this, when the recording is restarted,information to be renewedly recorded can newly be recorded internally ofthe new DVD_RTAV directory as the file based on the VR standards. Thismeans that the recording can be started without repairing the file ofthe state insusceptible of normal reproduction.

[0023] Incidentally, the present invention can equally be applied to thecase where two or more sets of the aforementioned data files and theaforementioned management information files recorded on theaforementioned recording medium are to be recorded on the aforementionedrecording medium in a set.

[0024] Alternatively, an apparatus which the present invention concernscomprises a recording medium having an area for recording plural sets ofmanagement information files for managing an encoded picture data fileand a picture data file, a recording medium drive processing means forwriting or reading out information onto or from the recording medium, afile system manage processing means for writing or reading out a fileonto or from the recording medium in a predetermined file format and/orcombining two files, a management information file read processing meansfor commanding reading of the management information file from the filesystem manage processing means, a management information expansionmemory for storing therein the management information file read out fromthe management information file read processing means as managementinformation expansion data, a management information file writeprocessing means for reading out the management information expansiondata from the management information expansion memory to command writingof the management information expansion data in the file system manageprocessing means as the management information file, a backup managementinformation file read processing means for commanding reading of abackup management information file from the file system manageprocessing means, the backup management information file being a file ofa same format as the management information file but differingtherefrom, a backup management information expansion memory for storingtherein the backup management information file read out from the backupmanagement information file read processing means as backup managementinformation expansion data, and a combine processing means for combiningintegrally the information of the management information expansionmemory and the information of the backup management informationexpansion memory to write the combined information in the managementinformation expansion memory, wherein plural sets of the picture datafiles and the management information files are combined together intoone set.

[0025] Further, an apparatus which the present invention concerns ischaracterized in that the apparatus comprises a moving picturecompression-encode processing means for performing compression-encodingof analog moving pictures, a sound compression-encode processing meansfor performing compression-encoding of analog sound, a movingpicture/sound multiplex processing means for multiplexingcompression-encoded moving picture data outputted from the movingpicture compression-encode processing means and compression-encodedsound data outputted from the sound compression-encode processing means,a management-information-expansion data generate processing means foracquiring information required for management information filegeneration from the moving picture/sound compression-multiplexprocessing means to write additionally the information in managementinformation expansion data expanded on the management informationexpansion memory as management information expansion data, a streambuffer for storing once temporarily a multiplexed stream outputted fromthe moving picture/sound compression-multiplex processing means, astream buffer managing means for commanding writing of the multiplexeddata into the file system managing means from the stream buffer as amultiplexed stream file, a nonvolatile status management memory which isa nonvolatile memory for storing process stage statuses of recordingprocessing, and a repair processing means for repairing format of themanagement information file or the multiplexed stream file to restore anormal format thereof when the management information file or themultiplexed stream file is abnormal, wherein upon activation, thenonvolatile status management memory is monitored or supervised, acommand is issued for expanding the management information file on themanagement information expansion memory in dependence on the statuses,command is issued to the repair processing means for repairing themanagement information file and the multiplexed stream file and alteringnames of the management information file and the multiplexed streamfile, whereon plural sets of the picture data files and the managementinformation files are combined into one set so that when unexpectedbreakage of power supply takes place in the course of real-time picturerecording operation with a recording apparatus such as a camera in theoutdoor field with the recording operation being thus stopped once andwhen the power supply is started again, it is possible to determineselectively whether the processing for repairing the video data and theaudio data recorded on the recording medium as well as the managementinformation data therefor in respect to predetermined format(s) is to beexecuted or not.

[0026] Additionally, for achieving the objects described previously, thepresent invention teaches that a status storing memory arranged forstoring finely classified status discriminating flags is provided,wherein upon repairing operation, the stream data are sequentiallyanalyzed, stating from a concerned data location determined independence on the status discriminating flags, for thereby repairing themanagement information file and the audio/video bit stream file(hereinafter also referred to as the AV data files) themselves. Further,when a defective portion is found at an intermediate position, the AVdata files are repaired by cutting away an appropriate encode unit whichcontains the relevant portion. Alternatively, even when the defectiveportion is found at an intermediate location of the stream data,arrangement may be made such that the relevant portion is not cut awaybut the management information is modified to the form suffering noinappropriateness, to thereby repair the management information file andthe AV data file so that they provide no obstacles to the succeedingrecording/reproduction.

[0027] Furthermore, the present invention provides an informationrecording/reproducing method which comprises a recording datamultiplexing step of multiplexing at least encoded video data andencoded audio data, a record data storing step of storing data outputtedfrom the above-mentioned recording data multiplexing step, amanagement-information-generation-destined data generating step ofgenerating data required for generating management information forreproducing data recorded on the recording medium, a managementinformation generating step of generating the above-mentioned managementinformation on the basis of output from the above-mentionedmanagement-information-generation-destined data generating step, amanagement information storing step of storing the managementinformation, a step of reading out the management information stored inthe above-mentioned management information storing step, a recordingmedium drive processing step of recording or reading on or from arecording medium at least the information stored in the recording datastoring step or the information stored in the management informationstoring step, a recording status storing step of storing statusinformation indicative of statuses of recording processing, and a stepof reading out the status information stored in the recording statusstoring step.

[0028] Moreover, an information recording/reproducing method which thepresent invention concerns resides in that in the informationrecording/reproducing method described above, the former comprises theaforementioned recording medium drive processing step of recordinginformation on the aforementioned recording medium or reading theinformation from the above-mentioned recording medium, a record datademultiplexing step of demultiplexing or separating the encoded videodata and the encoded audio data from the information read out from therecording medium, the aforementionedmanagement-information-generation-destined data generating step ofgenerating data required for generation of management information forreproducing data recorded on the recording medium on the basis of thedata obtained from the above-mentioned record data demultiplexing step,the aforementioned management information generation step of generatingthe management information on the basis of the output from theabove-mentioned management-information-generation-destined datagenerating step, the aforementioned management information storing stepof storing the above-mentioned management information, a step ofoutputting the above-mentioned management information to theabove-mentioned management information storing step from theabove-mentioned management information generation step or reading outthe above-mentioned management information stored in the above-mentionedmanagement information storing step, a management information readingstep of reading out the above-mentioned management information from theinformation read from the aforementioned recording medium to therebyoutput the management information to the above-mentioned managementinformation storing step, a step of recording the information outputtedfrom the above-mentioned management information generation step on theabove-mentioned recording medium, a recording status storing step ofstoring status information indicative of statuses of recordingprocessing, and a step of reading out the status information stored inthe above-mentioned recording status storing step.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a management informationrecording system.

[0030]FIG. 2 is a structural diagram showing an arrangement of filesrecorded on a recording medium.

[0031]FIG. 3 is a structural diagram showing a data structure in amanagement information file recorded on the recording medium.

[0032]FIG. 4 is a structural diagram showing a data structure of recordunit information in the management information file.

[0033]FIG. 5 is a structural diagram showing a data structure ofrecord-unit general information in the management information file.

[0034]FIG. 6 is a structural diagram showing a data structure of unittime information in the management information file.

[0035]FIG. 7 is a structural diagram showing a data structure of GOPinformation in the management information file.

[0036]FIG. 8 is a structural diagram showing a data structure of arecord unit in a bit stream file.

[0037]FIG. 9 is a structural diagram showing a data structure ofmanagement information pack in a bit stream file.

[0038]FIG. 10 is a structural diagram showing a data array in anonvolatile recording status memory.

[0039]FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a management informationrepairing system.

[0040]FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating processings executed by themanagement information repairing system.

[0041]FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an editor.

[0042]FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a structure of files recorded on arecording medium.

[0043]FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a structure of files recorded on therecording medium.

[0044]FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a recording apparatus.

[0045]FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a data structure in a nonvolatilestatus management memory.

[0046]FIG. 18 is a flow chart illustrating an activate processing in therecording apparatus.

[0047]FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing an informationrecording/reproducing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of thepresent invention.

[0048]FIG. 20 is a diagram for illustrating a directory structure on adisk.

[0049]FIG. 21 is a view showing typical status flags stored in a statusstoring memory.

[0050]FIG. 22 is a view for illustrating schematically and generally aflow of repair processings executed in accordance with the status flags.

[0051]FIG. 23 is a view for illustrating a data status on a disk uponoccurrence of power supply breakage in the course of a moving picturefile recording.

[0052]FIG. 24 is a view for illustrating a data status on a disk uponoccurrence of power supply breakage in the course of editing real data.

[0053]FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a data structure of a moving picturefile for management.

[0054]FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a pack structure of stream data.

[0055]FIG. 27 is a view for illustrating an informationrecording/reproducing method according to a sixth embodiment of thepresent invention.

[0056]FIG. 28 is a view for illustrating an informationrecording/reproducing method according to a seventh embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0057] In the following, a first embodiment of the present inventionwill be described in detail by reference to the drawings. Incidentally,in the description which follows, the information recording/reproducingapparatus according to the present invention will be elucidated not onlyas the information recording/reproducing apparatus literally but also asa recording apparatus or a recorded information repairing apparatus.

[0058]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a recording apparatus according to afirst embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] The recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of theinvention shown in FIG. 1 is comprised of an input terminal 10 foranalog video data, an input terminal 20 for analog audio data, a videoencode processing module 30, an audio encode processing module 40, avideo/audio/management information multiplex processing module 50, astream buffer 60, a management information generate processing module70, a recording medium drive processing module 80, a volatile managementinformation expansion memory 90, a management information expandprocessing module 100, a consolidative management processing module 110,a nonvolatile recording status memory 120 and a recording medium 130.

[0060] As a compression processing scheme for video and audio data,there can be mentioned, for example, the MPEG (Motion Picture ExpertsGroup) scheme. Although the MPEG scheme is adapted to cope with therandom access and the special reproduction, it is not in the position torealize easily these operations. Such being the circumstances, in thecase where the video and audio data are compressed and recorded on arecording medium, it is necessary for realizing the random access andthe special reproduction to generate not only the information ofcompressed bit streams but also management information data for therandom access and the special reproduction for recording on therecording medium. FIG. 2 shows, by way of example, a file structurerecorded on a recording medium in the case where video and audio dataare compressed and to be recorded on a recording medium in accordancewith the MPEG scheme.

[0061] It is supposed, for example, that video and audio data arerecorded with the aid of a video camera. In that case, when a recordingstart button of the recording apparatus is pushed by a user, recordingon a recording medium is started, while when a recording end button ofthe recording apparatus is pressed by the user, the recording on therecording medium is terminated. In this conjunction, the periodintervening between the start of recording and the end thereof will betermed the record unit. By conducting repetitively the recording startoperation and the recording end operation, the bit streams conforming tothe MPEG standards (hereinafter simply referred to as the bit stream)are additively and sequentially written or recorded on the recordingmedium. In that case, the video and audio multiplexing scheme conformsto the program stream scheme of the MPEG system, and the recording onthe recording medium is performed in accordance with this scheme.

[0062] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the files implemented or substantiatedon the recording medium include a management information file 200, a bitstream file 210 and a management information backup file 220. Themanagement information file 200 records therein the managementinformation concerning the bit streams on a per record unit basis. Inthe bit stream file 210, bit stream data are recorded on a per recordunit basis continuously in one file. The management information backupfile 220 records therein utterly same information as those of themanagement information file 200 and is put into service when themanagement information file 200 can not be read.

[0063] In the following description, the terms used in the MPEGstandards such as GOP, PTS, pack, pack header, system header, packetheader, I-picture, P-picture, B-picture, frame field, elementary stream,etc. will be used without any special definition or elucidation.

[0064] Description will be made of a management information file. Themanagement information file 200 is generated in the form in which therandom access and the special reproduction are taken into account. Anexemplary data structure of the management information file is shown inFIG. 3. In the management information file 200, information concerningthe bit stream is recorded on a per record unit basis. As is shown inFIG. 3, the management information file 200 is composed of record unitinformation #1, record unit information #2, . . . , record unitinformation #i, . . . and record unit information #M.

[0065] In the case of the data structure shown in FIG. 3, theinformation containing the record unit information #1, the record unitinformation #2, the record unit information #i, . . . and the recordunit information #M is designated as whole record information 300.

[0066] In the whole record information 300, the record unit information#i is classified in further detail, an exemplary structure of which isshown in FIG. 4. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the record unit information#I is composed of record-unit general information 400, unit timeinformation #1, unit time information #2, . . . , unit time information#i, . . . and unit time information #N, and GOP information #1, GOPinformation #2, . . . , GOP information #i, . . . and GOP information#O.

[0067] At this juncture, the information containing the time information#1, the time information #2, the time information #i, . . . and the timeinformation #N is designated as the time information 410. Similarly, inFIG. 4, the information containing the GOP information #1, the GOPinformation #2, . . . , the GOP information #i, . . . and the GOPinformation #O is designated as the GOP information 420.

[0068] The record-unit general information 400 can be classified infurther detail, an exemplary structure of which is shown in FIG. 5.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 5, the record-unit general information 400 iscomposed of a recording start time 500, a PTS 510 of a leading picture,a PTS 520 of a trailing end picture, a leading data address 530, arecord unit data size 540, a per unit time information total number(i.e., total number of per unit time information) 550 and a GOP totalnumber (total number of GOPs) 560. The recording start time 500represents a time point at which recording of a given record unit wasstarted. The PTS 510 of the leading picture represents the PTS of theleading frame in display of a record unit. The PTS 520 of the trailingend picture is represented by a value resulting from addition of aone-frame display period to the PTS of the final frame in the display ofthe record unit. The leading data address 530 represents the addressallocated to the bit stream file 210 for the leading data of the bitstream of the record unit #i. One address corresponds to one packconstituted by 2048 bytes. To say in another way, one addresscorresponds to a data length of 2048 bytes. The record unit data size540 represents a data size of the record unit #i. Similarly to theaddress, one data size corresponds to one pack composed of 2048 bytes.The per unit time information total number (i.e., the total number ofthe per unit time information) 550 represents the number of unit timeinformation contained in the record unit #i. The GOP total number 560represents the number of the GOPs contained in the record unit #i.

[0070] The unit time information #i can be classified in further detail,an exemplary structure of which is shown in FIG. 6. As can be seen inFIG. 6, the unit time information #i is composed of a GOP number 600 andleading address data 610. Parenthetically, the unit time is of a fixedtime length and used in making random access to an intermediate portionof a given record unit for the purpose of decreasing the operationoverhead involved in the arithmetic determination of the addressallocated to the relevant bit stream file. By way of example, the valueof 10 seconds will be appropriate for the unit time. The GOP number 600indicates the number of GOPs as counted from the start of the recordunit #i of the leading GOP of the record unit information #i. Theleading address data 610 represents a relative address from the leadingdata of the record unit #i on the bit stream file.

[0071] The GOP information #i can be classified in further detail, anexemplary structure of which is shown in FIG. 7. As can be seen in FIG.7, the GOP information #i is composed of an I-picture size 710, a GOPreproducing time 720 and a GOP size 730. The I-picture size 710represents a size extending from the leading end of the GOP to a packwhich contains the final data of the I picture, as is shown in FIG. 8.Similarly to the address, one data size corresponds to one packconstituted by 2048 bytes. The GOP reproducing time 720 is representedby a value which indicates the reproducing time of the GOP in terms of afield unit. The GOP size 730 represents the data size of the GOP, as canbe seen in FIG. 8. Similarly to the address, one data size correspondsto one pack which is composed of 2048 bytes.

[0072] The bit stream file 210 will now be described. In the bit streamfile 210, the bit stream data are continuously recorded in one file on aper record unit basis. An exemplary structure of a given record unit inthe bit stream file 210 is illustrated in FIG. 8. As can be seen in FIG.8, a given one of the record units is composed of several GOPs. In theGOP, a management information pack 800 is disposed in the leading onepack and the information required for generating the managementinformation file 200 is recorded therein. In the immediately succeedingpack, the I-picture or audio data is recorded. In further succeedingpacks, there are recorded the P-pictures, the B-pictures and/or theaudio data.

[0073] An exemplary structure of the management information pack 800 isillustrated in FIG. 9. The management information pack 800 is composedof a pack header 900, a system header 910, a packet header 920, amanagement information identifier 930, a GOP recording start time 940, aGOP number 950, a GOP leading picture PTS 960, a GOP trailing endpicture PTS 970, a GOP size 980 and an I-picture size 990. The packheader 900, the system header 910 and the packet header 920 are based onthe MPEG program stream, wherein in the packet header 920, neither videopack nor the audio pack is recorded but recorded is the information thatindicates a private pack which permits user definition.

[0074] The record unit management information identifier 930 is a uniqueidentifier indicating discriminatively or definitely the record whichhas been generated by the recording apparatus according to the presentinvention. This identifier may be, for example, 32 bits in length. Inpractical applications, “18273645H” or the like will be appropriate forthis identifier.

[0075] The GOP recording start time 940 represents a time point at whichrecording of the GOP is started. The GOP number 950 is a value thatindicates the position at which the GOP preceding by one to the GOPrecording the management information pack 800 occupies in the sequentialorder of the GOPs, as counted from the start of the record unit. The GOPleading picture PTS 960 indicates the PTS of the leading display frameof the GOP preceding by one to the GOP recording the managementinformation pack 800. The GOP trailing end picture PTS 970 indicates aPTS which is determined by addition of one-frame period to the PTS ofthe trailing display frame of the GOP preceding by one to the GOPrecording the management information pack 800. The GOP size 980indicates the data size of the GOP which precedes by one to the GOPrecording the management information pack 800. The I-picture size 990indicates the I-picture size of the GOP which precedes by one to the GOPwhich records therein the management information pack. In this manner,there is recorded the information concerning the GOP which precedes byone to the GOP recording therein the management information pack 800.Recorded in the GOP recording start time 940 and the GOP number 950 ofthe leading management information pack 800 of the leading GOP of agiven record unit record are valid data, wherein the value of the GOPnumber is “0”. The values of the GOP leading picture PTS 960, the GOPtrailing end picture PTS 970, the GOP size 980 and the I-picture size990 are not particularly specified and handled as invalid data.

[0076] The recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is an apparatus designedfor recording on a recording medium the management information file 200,the stream data file 210 and the management information backup file 220described above.

[0077] In the following, the recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will bedescribed in detail.

[0078] Analog video data is inputted through the input terminal 10 forthe analog video data to be subsequently transferred to the video encodeprocessing module 30 which is designed to encode the analog video datain conformance with a predetermined encoding scheme. In the case of theinstant embodiment of the invention, it is presumed, by way of example,that the MPEG scheme or system is adopted. The video data undergonecompression encoding in conformance with the MPEG standards istransferred to the video/audio/management information multiplexprocessing module 50 as a video elementary stream. On the other hand,analog audio data is inputted through the analog audio data inputterminal 20 to be subsequently transferred to the audio encodeprocessing module 40.

[0079] The audio encode processing module 40 is designed to encode theanalog audio data in accordance with a predetermined encoding scheme. Inthis conjunction, it is presumed, by way of example, that in the case ofthe instant embodiment of the invention, the MPEG scheme or standards isadopted, similarly to the case of the video data. Thus, the audio dataundergone compression encoding in conformance with the MPEG standards istransferred to the video/audio/management information multiplexprocessing module 50 as an audio elementary stream. The video elementarystream and the audio elementary stream inputted to thevideo/audio/management information multiplex processing module 50 areused for generating a video packetized elementary stream (video PES) andan audio packetized elementary stream (audio PES) each packetized with2048 bytes for the purpose of generating an MPEG program stream.

[0080] Further, the management information pack 800 of the datastructure shown in FIG. 9 is also generated. The video PES, the audioPES and the management information pack 800 are disposed in the streambuffer 60 in accordance with the pack array shown in FIG. 8.Furthermore, in the data structure shown in FIG. 9, the GOP recordingstart time 940, the GOP number 950, the GOP leading picture PTS 960, theGOP trailing end picture PTS 970, the GOP size 980 and the I-picturesize 990 are transferred to the management information generateprocessing module 70 every time the GOP is generated.

[0081] The bit streams stored accumulatively in the stream buffer 60 arewritten onto the recording medium 130 through the medium of therecording medium drive processing module 80 every time the stored bitstream has reached a predetermined amount. This bit stream is written onthe recording medium 130 in the form of the bit stream file 210 shown inFIG. 2.

[0082] The management information expand processing module 100 isdesigned to read out the management information file 200 written on therecording medium 130, as shown in FIG. 2, through the medium of therecording medium drive processing module 80, whereby the managementinformation file is developed or expanded on the volatile managementinformation expansion memory 90. The volatile management informationexpansion memory 90 is a memory whose contents as stored are initializedupon interruption of electric power supply to the memory.Parenthetically, the management information data may equally beprocessed straightforwardly from the recording medium 130. However,higher access speed can be ensured by resorting to the processing withthe aid of the volatile management information expansion memory 90.

[0083] When the recording apparatus according to the instant embodimentof the invention is powered on, then the management information file 200on the recording medium 130 is firstly expanded on the volatilemanagement information expansion memory 90. The management informationgenerate processing module 70 is designed to update from the start ofrecording up to the end thereof the management information shown inFIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 on the basis of the data transferred from thevideo/audio/management information multiplex processing module 50 andthe data expanded on the volatile management information expansionmemory 90, to thereby rewrite the information on the volatile managementinformation expansion memory 90. At the end of the recording, the dataof the volatile management information expansion memory 90 areoverwritten on the recording medium 130 in the form of the managementinformation file 200 through the medium of the recording medium driveprocessing module 80. Moreover, a copy of the management informationfile is overwritten on the management information backup file 220.

[0084] The consolidative management processing module 110 is designed tomanage consolidatively or integrally the states or statuses of the videoencode processing module 30, the audio encode processing module 40, thevideo/audio/management information multiplex processing module 50, thestream buffer 60, the management information generate processing module70, the recording medium drive processing module 80, the volatilemanagement information expansion memory 90 and the managementinformation expand processing module 100, respectively. The processingstages in the system according to the instant embodiment of the presentinvention are classified to such statuses as illustrated in FIG. 10,wherein codes are allocated to those statuses, respectively. Morespecifically, the status prevailing from a time point at which themanagement file of the recording medium 130 is expanded on the volatilemanagement information expansion memory 90 up to a time point at whichthe recording is started is defined as a management informationexpansion status 1000 to which a code “1” is assigned. In succession,the status where the recording has not yet been started and the statusprevailing from the time point of the start of the recording up to atime point at which the data of the volatile management informationexpansion memory 90 has completely been updated after the end of therecording are defined as a stream information recording status 1010 towhich a code “2” is assigned. In succession, the status prevailing fromthe time point at which the data of the volatile management informationexpansion memory 90 has completely been updated up to the time point atwhich the management file on the recording medium 130 has completelybeen overwritten is defined as a management information expansion memoryupdate status 1020 to which a code “3” is assigned. In succession, thestatus prevailing from the time point at which the management file onthe recording medium 130 has completely been overwritten up to a timepoint at which the above-mentioned management file is copied to themanagement information backup file is defined as a recording mediummanagement information update status 1030 to which a code “4” isallocated. In succession, the stage at which where the above-mentionedmanagement file has been copied thoroughly to the management informationbackup file 220 is defined as a normal end status 1040 to which the code“1” is assigned. To say in another way, the normal end status isequivalent to the management information expansion status 1000. Uponevery transition of the statuses mentioned above, the consolidativemanagement processing module 110 records the corresponding codes in thenonvolatile recording status memory 120, which is a memory whosecontents stored therein are not initialized regardless of breakage ofelectric power supply thereto.

[0085] As can be seen from the foregoing, by reading out the code fromthe nonvolatile recording status memory 120, checking the statuscorresponding to that code and performing the processing correspondingto the status as checked, the data written up to the time point at whichthe recording was interrupted due to unexpected breakage of the electricpower supply can be remedied or repaired. A repairing method to this endwill be described below as a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0086] In the following, the second embodiment of the present inventionwill be described in detail by reference to the drawings.

[0087]FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a recorded informationrepairing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0088] The recorded information repairing apparatus shown in FIG. 11 iscomprised of a management information generate processing module 70, arecording medium drive processing module 80, a volatile managementinformation expansion memory 90, a management information expandprocessing module 100, an consolidative management processing module110, a nonvolatile recording status memory 120, a recording medium 130and a video/audio/management information demultiplex processing module140.

[0089] In execution of the processing procedure for repairing theinformation recorded on the recording medium 130, the processing flow isbranched in such manner as illustrated in FIG. 12 in dependence on thecodes stored in the nonvolatile recording status memory 120 describedpreviously in conjunction with the first embodiment of the invention.

[0090] When the code is found “1” in a step 1210, this indicates thenormal state. Accordingly, a state waiting for an ordinary recordingprocessing is set in a step 1280.

[0091] When the code is “2” or “3” in a step 1220 or a step 1230, thisindicates the statuses where the recording has not been completednormally. Thus, the processing for repairing the information on therecording medium 130 is performed. The repair processing to this endwill be described below.

[0092] On the recording medium 130, there exist the managementinformation file 200 corresponding to the record units recorded inprecedence to the record unit for which the recording has beeninterrupted. In the bit stream file 210, there is recorded the bitstream up to the time point at which the recording was interrupted. Themanagement information file is read out from the recording medium 130 byway of the recording medium drive processing module 80 to besubsequently transferred to the management information expand processingmodule 100.

[0093] The management information expand processing module 100 developsor expands the management information file 200 onto the volatilemanagement information expansion memory 90. On the other hand, the bitstream file 210 is read out from the recording medium 130 through themedium of the recording medium drive processing module 80 to besubsequently transferred to the video/audio/management informationdemultiplex processing module 140. In this conjunction, it will be notedthat lots of time is taken to read out wholly the bit stream file, whichis not preferable. Accordingly, only the pack as required is read outwith a view to shortening the reading time. The header is searched fromthe trailing end portion of the bit stream file to thereby retrieve themanagement information pack 800. Subsequently, the managementinformation of the management information pack 800 as retrieved istransferred to the management information generate processing module 70.

[0094] In succession, jump is made to the management information pack800 which precedes by one to the retrieved management information pack800 in the bit stream file 210 on the basis of the value of the GOP size980 contained in the management information pack as illustrated in FIG.9, whereon the information of the preceding management information packis transferred to the management information generate processing module70. In succession, the same processing is repeated until the GOP number950 of the management information pack 800 shown in FIG. 9 becomes “0”.The management information generate processing module 70 is designed toupdate the data of the volatile management information expansion memory90.

[0095] Subsequently, the bit stream file 210 on the recording medium 130is searched or checked from the trailing end portion of the file, thedata extending from the management information pack found first throughthe search to the trailing end of the file is deleted. In succession,data of the volatile management information expansion memory 90 iswritten onto the recording medium 130. Additionally, a copy of the datawritten onto the recording medium is written in the managementinformation backup file 220.

[0096] Thereafter, the code “1” is written in the nonvolatile recordingstatus memory through the consolidative management processing module 110in a step 1270, whereupon the state 1280 for waiting the ordinaryrecording processing is established.

[0097] When the code is “4” in a step 1240, this indicates the status inwhich the management information file 200 has normally been written onthe recording medium 130 and in which the copy thereof has not beenwritten in the management information backup file yet. Accordingly, thecopy of the management information file 200 on the recording medium 130is written in the management information backup file 220 in a step 1260.In succession, the code “1” is written in the nonvolatile recordingstatus memory 120 by means of the consolidative management processingmodule 110, whereupon the state 1280 in which the ordinary recordingprocessing is waited for is established.

[0098] When the code does not coincide with any one of codes “1”, “2”,“3” and “4” in the steps 1210 to 1240, respectively, this means that thenonvolatile recording status memory 120 is in the state remaining to beinitialized. Consequently, the code is set to “1” in a step 1250.Needless to say, when the recording apparatus is used for the firsttime, the code must naturally be set to “1”.

[0099] In the following, description will be made in detail of a thirdembodiment of the present invention by referring to the drawings.

[0100]FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an editor apparatus accordingto the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0101] The editor apparatus according to the third embodiment shown inFIG. 13 is comprised of a recording medium 2010, a recording mediumdrive processing module 2020, a file system manage processing module2030, a management information file read processing module 2040, amanagement information file write processing module 2050, a managementinformation expansion memory 2060, a combine processing module 2070, abackup management information file read processing module 2080 and abackup management information expansion memory 2090.

[0102] In the following description, it is presumed, by way of example,that the stream which conforms to the DVD Video Recording standards(hereinafter referred to simply as VR standards) is handled.

[0103] As can be seen in FIG. 14, according to the VR standards, aDVD_RTAV directory 2200 exists on the recording medium, wherein at ahierarchically lower level of this DVD_RTAV directory, there exist aVR_MANGR.IFO file 2210, a VR_MOVIE.VRO file 2220, a VR_STILL.VRO file2230, a VR_AUDIO.VRO file 2240 and a VR_MANGR.BUP file 2250. TheVR_MOVIE.VRO file 2220 serves as a moving picture stream data file, theVR_STILL.VRO file 2230 serves as a sill picture stream data file or asound-accompanying still picture stream data file, and the VR_AUDIO.VROfile 2240 serves as an audio stream data file for adding an audio streamto the VR_STILL.VRO file 2230. Recorded in the VR_MANGR.IFO file 2210are a relation establish table for establishing relations in respect tothe time codes and the file locations as required for performing randomaccess, special reproducing operations such as fast-feed, rewind and thelike operations among the VR_MOVIE.VRO file 2220, the VR_STILL.VRO file2230 and the VR_AUDIO.VRO file 2240 as well as the text information tobe displayed to the user via the user interface and the time informationtherefor. The VR_MANGR.BUP file 2250 has utterly the same data contentsas those of the VR_MANGR.IFO file 2210.

[0104] Existing on the recording medium 2010 in the apparatus accordingto the instant embodiment of the invention is a DVD_RTAV_BAK directory2300 in addition to the DVD_RTAV directory 2200, as shown in FIG. 15. Ata hierarchically lower level of the DVD_RTAV_BAK directory 2300, thereexist a VR_MANGR.IFO file 2310, a VR_MOVIE.VRO file 2320, a VR_STILL.VROfile 2330, a VR_AUDIO.VRO file 2340 and a VR_MANGR.BUP file 2350,similarly to the case of the DVD_RTAV directory 2200. These fileslocated at the hierarchically lower level of or belonging to theDVD_RTAV_BAK directory 2300 conform to the VR standards.

[0105] The VR_MANGR.IFO file 2210 in the DVD_RTAV directory 2200recorded on the recording medium 2010 is read out by means of therecording medium drive processing module 2020 to be recognized as a fileby the file system manage processing module 2030.

[0106] The management information file read processing module 2040 readsout from the file system manage processing module 2030 the VR_MANGR.IFOfile 2210 which exists at the hierarchically lower level of or belongingto the DVD_RTAV directory 2200, to thereby interpret the data describedin this file, the results of which are written onto the managementinformation expansion memory 2060 as the management informationexpansion data.

[0107] The VR_MANGR.IFO file 2310 which exists at the hierarchicallylower level of or belonging to the DVD_RTAV_BAK directory 2300 recordedon the recording medium 2010 is read out through the medium of therecording medium drive processing module 2020 to be recognized as a fileby the file system manage processing module 2030.

[0108] The backup management information read processing module 2080reads out from the file system manage processing module 2030 theVR_MANGR.IFO file 2310 which exists at the hierarchically lower level of(or belonging to) the DVD_RTAV_BAK directory 2300, to thereby interpretthe data described in this file, the results of which are written ontothe backup management information expansion memory 2090 as the backupmanagement information expansion data.

[0109] The combine processing module 2070 combines consolidatively themanagement information expansion data stored in the managementinformation expansion memory 2060 and the backup management informationexpansion data stored in the backup management information expansionmemory 2090 to thereby generate newly integrated or consolidatedmanagement information expansion data, whereon the data as generated arewritten onto the management information expansion memory 2060.

[0110] The VR_MOVIE.VRO file 2220, the VR_STILL.VRO file 2230 and theVR_AUDIO.VRO file 2240 which exist at the hierarchically lower level ofthe DVD_RTAV directory 2200 and the VR_MOVIE.VRO file 2320, theVR_STILL.VRO file 2330 and the VR_AUDIO.VRO file 2340 which exist at thehierarchically lower level of the DVD_RTAV_BAK directory 2300,respectively, are consolidated into a single file without changing thephysical layout of the relevant data recorded on the recording mediumbut by altering only the information concerning the file system. As theresult of the consolidation of the files as described above, theVR_MOVIE.VRO file 2320, the VR_STILL.VRO file 2330, the VR_AUDIO.VROfile 2340, the VR_MANGR.IFO file 2310 and the VR_MANGR.BUP file 2350which exist at the hierarchically lower level of the DVD_RTAV_BAKdirectory 2300 are deleted together with the DVD_RTAV_BAK directory 2300by issuing a relevant command to the file system manage processingmodule 2030. Alternatively, the above-mentioned files belonging to theDVD_RTAV_BAK directory 2300 may be set invalid for the file systemmanage processing module 2030.

[0111] The management information file write processing module 2050reads out the management information expansion data placed on themanagement information expansion memory 2060 for thereby commanding thefile system manage processing module 2030 to write the above-mentioneddata as the VR_MANGR.IFO file 2210 at the hierarchically lower level ofthe DVD_RTAV directory 2200, whereon this write command is executed bythe file system manage processing module. The VR_MANGR.BUP file 2250 isalso written in the similar way.

[0112] Upon reception of the command for combination of the files,deletion of the files and writing of the files, the file system manageprocessing module 2030 activates the recording medium drive processingmodule 2020 to thereby cause the information of the files to be writtenonto the recording medium 2010.

[0113] Through the procedure described above, the files of the VRstandards recorded at the hierarchically lower level of the DVD_RTAVdirectory 2200 are combined with those of the VR standards recorded atthe hierarchically lower level of the DVD_RTAV_BAK directory 2300,whereby these files can be combined together into one file.

[0114] Parenthetically, the directory name of the DVD_RTAV_BAK directory2300 and the names of the files located at the hierarchically lowerlevel of the DVD_RTAV_BAK directory are never restricted to thosementioned above in conjunction with the description of the instantembodiment of the invention. In other words, the instant embodiment ofthe invention can be carried out regardless of what names the directoryand/or the files have and which directory the files exist in or belongto.

[0115] In the following, description will be made in detail of a fourthembodiment of the present invention by referring to the drawings. Thefourth embodiment corresponds to the third embodiment of the inventionexcept that further processings are additionally provided.

[0116]FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a recording apparatus accordingto the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0117] The recording apparatus according to the fourth embodiment shownin FIG. 16 is comprised of a recording medium 2010, a recording mediumdrive processing module 2020, a file system manage processing module2030, a management information file read processing module 2040, amanagement information file write processing module 2050, a managementinformation expansion memory 2060, a combine processing module 2070, abackup management information file read processing module 2080, a backupmanagement information expansion memory 2090, a moving picturecompression-encode processing module 2100, a sound compression-encodeprocessing module 2110, a moving picture/sound multiplex processingmodule 2120, a managing-information-expanded data generate processingmodule 2130, a stream buffer 2140, a stream buffer manage processingmodule 2150, an activate processing module 2160, a nonvolatile statusmanagement memory 2170 and a repair processing module 2180.

[0118] In the following description, it is presumed, by way of example,that the stream which conforms to the DVD Video Recording standards(hereinafter referred to simply as VR standards) is handled.

[0119] As can be seen in FIG. 14, according to the VR standards, thereis prepared a DVD_RTAV directory 2200 recorded on a recording medium,wherein at a hierarchically lower level thereof, there are prepared aVR_MANGR.IFO file 2210, a VR_MOVIE.VRO file 2220, a VR_STILL.VRO file2230, a VR_AUDIO.VRO file 2240 and a VR_MANGR.BUP file 2250. TheVR_MOVIE.VRO file 2220 serves as a moving picture stream data file, theVR_STILL.VRO file 2230 serves as a sill picture stream data file oralternatively as a sound-accompanying still picture stream data file,and the VR_AUDIO.VRO file 2240 serves as an audio stream data file foradding an audio stream to the VR_STILL.VRO file 2230. Recorded in theVR_MANGR.IFO file 2210 are a relation establish table for establishingrelations in respect to the time codes and the file locations asrequired for performing random access, special reproducing operationssuch as fast-feed, rewind and the like operations among the VR_MOVIE.VROfile 2220, the VR_STILL.VRO file 2230 and the VR_AUDIO.VRO file 2240 aswell as the text information to be displayed to the user via the userinterface and the time information therefor. The VR_MANGR.BUP file 2250has utterly the same data contents as those of the VR_MANGR.IFO file2210.

[0120] At first, description will be made of the processings forrecording.

[0121] The moving picture compression-encode processing module 2100compresses and encodes an analog moving picture signal to therebytransfer resultant moving picture stream data to the movingpicture/sound multiplex processing module 2120.

[0122] The sound compression-encode processing module 2110 compressesand encodes an analog audio signal to thereby transfer resultant soundstream data to the moving picture/sound multiplex processing module2120.

[0123] The moving picture/sound multiplex processing module 2120multiplexes the encoded moving picture stream data and the encoded soundstream data to transfer the multiplexed stream data to the stream buffer2140 on one hand. On the other hand, the moving picture/sound multiplexprocessing module 2120 transfers to the management-information-expansiondata generate processing module 2130 the information required forgenerating the VR_MANGR.IFO 2210 which conforms to the VR standards. Inthis manner, generation of the multiplexed stream and generation of themanagement information expansion data are carried out.

[0124] The stream buffer manage processing module 2150 issues commandsto the file system manage processing module 2030 to monitor the amountof the data stored accumulatively in the stream buffer 2140, extract themultiplexed stream data from the stream buffer every time the storeddata reaches a predetermined amount and write the data as extracted ontothe recording medium 2010 in the form of a file. The managementinformation file write processing module 2050 selects the VR_MOVIE.VROfile 2220, the VR_STILL.VRO file 2230 or the VR_AUDIO.VRO file 2240 inconformance to the type of the record to thereby write the multiplexedstream data.

[0125] The management-information-expansion data generate processingmodule 2130 generates the management information expansion data in themanagement information expansion memory 2060 on the basis of theinformation transferred from the moving picture/sound multiplexprocessing module 2120 in the course of recording operation.

[0126] After completion of recording, the management information filewrite processing module 2050 reads out the management informationexpansion data placed on the management information expansion memory2060 to thereby issue a command to the file system manage processingmodule 2030 for writing the above-mentioned read data in the form of theVR_MANGR.IFO file 2210 at the hierarchically lower level of the DVD_RTAVdirectory 2200. The VR_MANGR.BUP file 2250 is also written through thesimilar processing.

[0127] Defined on the nonvolatile status management memory 2170 is suchstatuses as shown in FIG. 17. By way of example, the state of normaltermination of recording is defined as “normal end status” 2500 to whicha code “0” is assigned. The status prevailing from the time point atwhich the stream buffer manage processing module 2150 starts to writethe data of the stream buffer 2140 in the form of a file up to the timepoint at which the recording is completed is defined as “stream writestatus” 2510 to which a code “1” is assigned. The status where theVR_MANGR.IFO file 2210 is being written after completion of therecording is defined as “IFO write status” 2520 to which a code “2” isassigned. Further, the status where the VR_MANGR.BUP file 2250 is beingwritten is defined as “BUP write status” 2530 to which a code “3” isassigned.

[0128] The stream buffer manage processing module 2150 is designed towrite in the nonvolatile status management memory 2170 the “stream writestatus” 2510 at a predetermining timing while the management informationfile write processing module 2050 is designed to write the “normal endstatus” 2500, “IFO write status” 2520 and “BUP write status” 2530 in thenonvolatile status management memory 2170, respectively, atpredetermined timings. In response to the reception of a file writecommand, the file system manage processing module 2030 activates therecording medium drive processing module 2020 to thereby allow theinformation of the file to be written onto the recording medium 2010.

[0129] At this juncture, let's suppose that the electric power supply tothe recording apparatus according to the present invention isunexpectedly broken. In that case, the status of the processingperformed at the time of shutdown of the power supply will be written inthe nonvolatile status management memory 2170. By way of example, in thecase where the electric power supply is unexpectedly broken when thestatus “stream write status” is prevailing, the code “1” defining as the“stream write status” 2510 will be written in the nonvolatile statusmanagement memory 2170.

[0130] Accordingly, at the time point the power supply is restored, itis possible to know the status of the processing which was beingexecuted by the recording apparatus upon occurrence of the unexpectedbreakage of power supply by referencing the information written in thenonvolatile status management memory 2170. More specifically, when theinformation written in the nonvolatile status management memory 2170 is“1”, it can be determined that the power supply was unexpectedly brokenwhen the recording apparatus was operating in “stream write status”2510.

[0131] Upon activation, the activate processing module 2160 monitors orsupervises the data of the nonvolatile status management memory 2170 tothereby perform processing operations in such a manner as illustrated ina flow chart of FIG. 18 in dependence on the data status.

[0132] When the power supply to the recording apparatus is turned on,the activate processing module 2160 starts the processing from a step2600. It is decided in a step 2601 as to whether or not the status ofthe nonvolatile status management memory 2170 is “normal end status”.When “normal end status” is decided, the processing proceeds to a step2602. By contrast, unless “normal end status” is decided, the DVD_RTAVdirectory 2200 is renamed to the DVD_RTAV_BAK directory 2300, whereonthe status of the nonvolatile status management memory 2170 is recordedon the recording medium 2010 at an appropriate location thereof as thestatus management data and then the status of the nonvolatile statusmanagement memory 2170 is set to “normal end status” 2500 in a step2603. Subsequently, the processing proceeds to a step 2604.

[0133] It has been described above that the processing for recording thestatus of the nonvolatile status management memory 2170 as the statusmanagement data at the appropriate location on the recording medium 2010is performed. In this conjunction, it should however be mentioned thatthe processing for recording in advance the state of the nonvolatilestatus management memory 2170 as the status management data on therecording medium 2010 at an appropriate location thereof may beperformed. In that case, the state of the nonvolatile status managementmemory 2170 will have been recorded as the status management data at theproper location on the recording medium 2010 when the power supply isturned on again. Accordingly, in this case, the processing for recordingthe state of the nonvolatile status management memory 2170 as the statusmanagement data on the recording medium 2010 at an appropriate locationthereof upon restoration of the power supply can be spared.

[0134] In a step 2602, it is checked whether or not the DVD_RTAV_BAKdirectory 2300 exists on the recording medium 2010. Unless theDVD_RTAV_BAK directory is present on the recording medium 2010, theprocessing makes transition to a step 2611. If it exists, the processingproceeds to a step 2604. To say in another way, transition to the step2604 is made when the DVD_RTAV directory 2200 has been altered to theDVD_RTAV_BAK directory 2300 without completing normally the recording onthe recording medium 2010. In that case, the data of hierarchicallylower level for the DVD_RTAV_BAK directory 2300 for which the processinghas not normally been terminated are repaired or restored to thenormally terminated or completed state, and then a query as tocombination with the existing data of the DVD_RTAV directory 2200 isissued to the user. If the user selects the repair, the processing makestransition to the step 2605 while otherwise to the step 2611. In a step2605, decision is made as to whether or not the status of the statusmanagement data which corresponds to that of the nonvolatile statusmanagement memory 2170 recorded previously on the recording medium 2010at an appropriate location thereof is “stream write status” 2510. If thedata status command is “stream write status” 2510, then one of theVR_MOVIE.VRO file 2320, the VR_STILL.VRO file 2330 and the VR_AUDIO.VROfile 2340 which is located at hierarchically lower level of theDVD_RTAV_BAK directory 2300 and which is broken off at the trailing endportion is found out in a step 2607, whereon the unwanted portion of thefile as found is deleted with the trailing end portion thereof beingnewly shaped, whereon the processing makes transition to a step 2608. Onthe other hand, unless the status of the status management data is“stream write status” 2510, transition is made to a step 2606. In thestep 2606, it is decided whether the status of the status managementdata is “IFO write status” 2520. If it is “IFO write status” 2520,transition is made to a step 2608. Unless it is “IFO write status” 2520,transition is made to a step 2609 in which the VR_MANGR.BUP file 2350which is at hierarchically lower level of the DVD_RTAV_BAK directory2300 is copied onto the VR_MANGR.IFO file 2310, whereon transition ismade to a step 2610. In the step 2608, information required for theportion of the VR_MANGR.IFO file 2310 where no information has beenrecorded is extracted from the VR MOVIE.VRO file 2310 or theVR_STILL.VRO file 2320 or VR_AUDIO.VRO file 2330 to thereby regeneratethe VR_ANGR.IFO file 2310. In a step 2610, the DVD_RTAV directory 2200and the DVD_RTAV_BAK directory 2300 are combined integrally to therebygenerate newly a DVD_RTAV directory 2200, as described hereinbefore inconjunction with the first embodiment of the invention, whereon theprocessing procedure makes transition to a step 2611. In the step 2611,a command is issued to the management information read processing module2040 for reading out the VR_ANGR.IFO file 2210 which is located athierarchically lower level of the DVD_RTAV directory 2200. Now, theactivate processing is terminated in a step 2612.

[0135] Through the processing procedure described above, the recordingprocessing can be started without need for necessarily executing therepair processing upon restarting of the electric power supply after ithas unexpectedly been broken in the course of recording operation whichhas thus been stopped.

[0136] As can be seen in FIG. 14, according to the VR standards, theDVD_RTAV directory 2200 exists on the recording medium, wherein at ahierarchically lower level thereof, there exist the VR_MANGR.IFO file2210, the VR_MOVIE.VRO file 2220, the VR_STILL.VRO file 2230, theVR_AUDIO.VRO file 2240 and the VR_MANGR.BUP file 2250. In thisconjunction, it is noted that according to the VR standards, any one ofthese files is not allowed to exist in plurality underneath the DVD_RTAVdirectory 2200 on the recording medium. Accordingly, when the recordingoperation is interrupted because of unexpected breakage of the electricpower supply in the course of recording operation and thus when thesefiles belonging to the DVD_RTAV directory 2200 are in the stateincapable of being normally reproduced, there may arise such situationthat the recording operation can no more be started so far as thesefiles are not repaired to the state which allow the normal reproductionto be performed.

[0137] According to the teaching of the invention incarnated in theembodiment described above, it is possible to record the information tobe newly recorded in a renewed DVD_RTAV directory in the form of a fileconforming to the VR standards when the recording operation is restartedfrom the interrupted state by altering the name of the DVD_RTAVdirectory containing the file insusceptible to normal reproduction tothe DVD_RTAV_BAK directory. Thus, it is possible to start the recordingoperation without repairing the file which is in the state insusceptibleto normal reproduction.

[0138] Furthermore, in the case of the embodiment of the inventiondescribed above, the file which exists in the name-altered DVD_RTAV_BAKdirectory and which can not normally be reproduced can be combined withthe file which exists in the DVD_RTAV directory and which is based onthe VR standards by carrying out the repair processing as the userdesires.

[0139] As will now be apparent from the foregoing description, accordingto the invention incarnated in the embodiment described above, it ispossible to determine selectively whether or not the file repairing isto be executed in the event that power supply is turned on after it hasunexpectedly been broken in the course of the recording operation. Inthat case, even when selection is made such that the repairing is notperformed, a succeeding recording operation can be started. At thisjuncture, it should also be mentioned that the repairing takesrelatively lots of time. Consequently, when the electric power supply isunexpectedly interrupted with the recording operation being stopped inthe course of outdoor photographing performed with a recording apparatussuch as a camera, it has heretofore been impossible to start asucceeding recording operation on one and the same recording mediumimmediately upon restarting of the power supply with the repairingoperation being executed at once. By contrast, according to the teachingof the invention incarnated in the embodiment described above, therecording operation can again be started even for one and the samerecording medium immediately upon restoration of the electric powersupply.

[0140] To say in another way, by virtue of the arrangement describedabove in conjunction with the embodiment of the invention, in the eventthat the power supply is unexpectedly broken in the course of recordingoperation which is thus stopped, it is possible to start speedily therecording operation by restarting power supply without need forexecuting any repairing or remedying processing. Moreover, since thepower consumption involved in executing the processing for repairing canbe spared, the electric power required for the recording processing canbe protected against extraneous consumption.

[0141] By way of example, it is supposed that power supply is brokenunexpectedly during outdoor recording operation with the aid of a camerawhich is supplied with electric power from a battery, as a result ofwhich the recording operation is forced to stop. In that case, when thepower supply is enabled again, the electric power supplied from thebattery can be used for the recording processing without consuming theelectric power of the battery for the repairing processing.Incidentally, the file which can not normally be reproduced may berepaired later on by making use of, for example, the interior wiringpower supply at the time point when the user desires it withoutresorting to the use of the electric power supply from the battery.

[0142] In addition, in the case of a fixed-type informationrecording/reproducing apparatus which is adapted to operate under powersupply from an interior wiring, by way of example, the recordingprocessing can speedily be started without carrying out any repairprocessing by restarting the power supply in the event the power supplyis broken unexpectedly in the course of recording operation which isthus stopped. In other words, the concept of the invention incarnated inthe embodiment described above can equally be applied effectively to thefixed-type information recording/reproducing apparatus as well.

[0143] In conjunction with the first and second embodiments of thepresent invention, description has been made concerning the techniquethat when power supply breakage takes place suddenly during therecording operation, such restoring operation is enabled upon restartingof the electric power supply that the status flag written in thenonvolatile memory mentioned hereinbefore is read out to thereby performthe repairing of the file by extracting the information required for therepairing and contained in the stream data on the basis of the statusflag as read out. In the following, description will be made of furtherimprovements taught by the present invention, i.e., a repairing methodwhich may be carried out in the restoring operation performed uponinterruption of electric power supply in the course of recordingoperation for repairing the management information file and the AV datafile themselves on the basis of the stream data without need forpreviously adding the information and then a repairing method ofrepairing the management information file and the AV data file such thatno inconvenience is thereby brought about in the succeedingrecording/reproducing operation even in the case where the stream datais partially injured.

[0144]FIG. 20 is a view for illustrating in more detail the datastructure for the files generated on the disk through the recordingoperation described previously. As can be seen, a subdirectory 3201 fora real time basis recording operation is disposed underneath a rootdirectory 3200, wherein the management information files and the AV datafiles as generated are all disposed underneath the subdirectory 3201. Ina management information file 3202, management information for therecorded AV data is written. The management information includes addressinformation and attribute information of the AV data and additionallyencoding parameter information as well as reproduced list informationfor edition. A moving picture file 3203 is a file destined for recordingas the AV data the stream data resulting from encoding and multiplexingof the moving picture data or sound data recorded simultaneously withthe moving picture data. In this conjunction, it should be mentionedthat for newly moving picture data, any additional file is not generatedseparately but the moving picture data to be recorded newly aresequentially written additionally in this moving picture file. Further,a still picture file 3204 is a file destined for recording as the AVdata the stream data resulting from encoding and multiplexing of thestill picture data or sound data recorded simultaneously with the stillpicture data. As in the case of the moving picture data, the stillpicture data to be recorded newly are sequentially written additionallyin this file. Further written in a management information backup file3205 are the same contents as the management information file 3202. Thismanagement information backup file is used for backing up the data ofthe management information file 3202 when the latter is damaged.

[0145] Reproduction of the AV data from the disk is performed on thebasis of the information such as the reading position, attributes of thepicture data or the like, all obtained from the management informationfile 3202. To say in another way, the contents of the managementinformation file 3202 have to correspond strictly to the contents of themoving picture file 3203 or the still picture file 3204. However, whenthe recording is interrupted, for example, due to unexpected breakage ofpower supply in the course of the real time recording operation, asmentioned previously, the moving picture file 3203 and the still picturefile 3204 will be recorded without meeting the predeterminedrequirements concerning the format. Of course, the managementinformation file 3202 may also be recorded incorrectly although itdepends on the timing. Thus, there may arise the possibility ofincoincidence or discrepancy among the contents of these files. In thefollowing, a method of repairing or canceling out incoincidence ordiscrepancy in the data between the management information file and theAV data file without writing additionally any specific information inthe AV data file itself will be elucidated by reference to the drawings.

[0146]FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing an informationrecording/reproducing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of thepresent invention. In the figure, reference numeral 3001 denotes aninput unit, 3002 denotes an encoder/decoder module (hereinafter referredto as the Codec module), 3003 denotes a user interface (I/F), 3004denotes a control unit, 3005 denotes a program memory, 3006 denotes amanagement information expansion memory, 3007 denotes a track buffer,3008 denotes a drive, 3009 denotes an optical disk, 3010 denotes anoutput unit and numeral 3011 denotes a status storing memory.

[0147] At first, description will be directed to operations involved inthe recording. Picture data and sound data inputted through the inputunit 3001 are encoded in the Codec module 3002 in accordance with apredetermined encoding scheme, whereby the information is compressed inthe amount while being sequentially multiplexed. Stream data resultingfrom the multiplexing is temporarily stored once in the track buffer3007 for absorbing or canceling out difference between the encoding rateand the transfer rate of the drive 3008, whereon the stream data arerecorded sequentially onto the optical disk 3009 through the drive 3008.In the recording on the optical disk 3009, the moving picture data iswritten additionally in the form of the moving picture file 3203 whilethe still picture data being written additionally in the still picturefile 3204, as described previously. The control unit 3004 is designed toperform control operations for the individual components mentioned aboveon the basis of commands inputted by the user through the user interface(I/F) 3003, wherein proper control contents are loaded by performingread/write operation on the program memory 3005, as occasion requires.Although the Codec module 3002 is shown generally en bloc, it should beunderstood that the Codec module 3002 may be implemented in such acomposite structure that the encoding is partially carried out by meansof hardware with the other part of encoding and the succeedingmultiplexing being realized softwarewise under the control of thecontrol unit 3004.

[0148] Furthermore, because the management information file generatedupon recording is difficult to be recorded on the optical disk 3009concurrently with the AV data file on the real time basis, themanagement information file is once expanded for the purpose of updatingon the management information expansion memory 3006 to be subsequentlyrecorded on the optical disk 3009 by overwriting in the form of themanagement information file 3202 as described previously. In the casewhere the AV data are to be initially recorded on the optical disk 3009,the management information is newly generated to be expanded on themanagement information expansion memory 3006. However, when the AV datais to be additionally written on the optical disk which has the AV datahaving been recorded in the past, the management information is read outfrom the optical disk 3009 to be subsequently expanded on the managementinformation expansion memory 3006. Additionally, in succession to therecording of the management information file 3202, the managementinformation of the same contents is overwritten on the optical disk 3009as the management information backup file 3205.

[0149] The status storing memory 3011 is implemented as a nonvolatilememory in which the information corresponding to the recording statusdescribed above (hereinafter referred to as the status flag) is storedunder the control of the control unit 3004.

[0150] At this juncture, operation involved in the reproducing operationwill also be described. The processings for the reproducing operationare executed by following reversely the flow of processings which areinvolved in the recording operation described previously by reference toFIG. 19. Namely, the moving picture file 3203 or the still picture file3204 is read out from given data location on the optical disk 3009 bymeans of the drive 3008 to be subsequently stored once as the streamdata in the track buffer 3007. Thereafter, the stream data is read outfrom the track buffer 3007 after the difference between the transferrate of the drive and the encoding rate of the picture/sound data havingbeen absorbed. In the Codec module 3002, the picture data and the sounddata are demultiplexed and decoded to be outputted through the outputunit 3010 in an appropriate signal format.

[0151] As in the case of the recording operation, the control unit 3004is in charge of controlling the constituents or components mentionedabove by loading appropriate contents from the program memory 3005.However, in the case of the reproducing operation, the managementinformation file 3202 is read out from the optical disk 3009 by means ofthe drive 3008 in precedence to reading the stream data, whereon thecontents of the management information file are expanded on themanagement information expansion memory 3006. The commands of the userinputted through the user interface (I/F) 3003 are interpreted by thecontrol unit 3004. In this manner, the reproducing operation describedabove is carried out in conformance with the management informationexpanded on the management information expansion memory 3006.

[0152] At this juncture, description will be made in more detail of thestatus flags which are stored in the status storing memory 3011 asmentioned previously.

[0153]FIG. 21 shows, by way of example, contents of several status flagsrecorded in the status storing memory 3011. In the recording operationdescribed above, a flag ‘1’ is assigned to the status prevailing fromthe time point at which the recording of the moving picture file 3203 isstarted to the time point at which the writing operation for the opticaldisk 3009 is completed. Similarly, a flag ‘2’ is assigned to the statusprevailing from the time point at which recording of the managementinformation file 3202 is started in succession to the recording of themoving picture file 3203 to the time point at which the recording of themanagement information file is completed. A flag ‘3’ is assigned to thestatus prevailing from the time point at which recording of the stillpicture file 3204 is started to the time point at which the recording ofthe still picture file is ended. A flag ‘4’ is assigned to the statusprevailing from the time point at which the recording of the managementinformation file 3202 is started in succession to the recording of thestill picture file 3204 to the time point at which the recording of themanagement information file is completed. A flag ‘5’ is assigned to thestatus prevailing from the time point at which editing operation oredition such as partial deletion of the moving picture file 3203 or thestill picture file 3204 or the like is started to the time point atwhich the editing operation of the above-mentioned file is completed. Aflag ‘6’ is assigned to the status prevailing from the time point atwhich the editing operation such as partial rewriting of the managementinformation file 3202 without being accompanied with manipulation of theAV data or the like is started to the time point at which the editingoperation described just above is completed. A flag ‘7’ is assigned tothe status prevailing from the start to the end of the recordingoperation of the management information backup file 3205. Further, aflag ‘0’ is assigned to all the other statuses than those statuses towhich the above-mentioned flags are assigned. Such other statuses mayinclude the status in which reproducing operation is being carried outand so forth.

[0154] Next, description will be directed to the repairing operations inconsideration of the status flags mentioned above. In the case wherebreakage of the power supply to the apparatus takes place unexpectedly,the status flag must indicate one of the values ‘0’ to ‘7’ mentionedabove, wherein the indicated flag value is held in the status storingmemory 3011. Since the status storing memory 3011 is a nonvolatilememory, the contents thereof can not be erased even when the powersupply to the memory is interrupted. When the power supply is restartedafter breakage thereof, the control unit 3004 checks the status flagstored in the status storing memory 3011 to thereby execute the repairprocessing while making decision as to the contents indicated by thestatus flags.

[0155]FIG. 22 illustrates in general a series of repair processingsexecuted, starting from the check of the status flags by the controlunit 3004. In a step S3400, the repair processing procedure is started.In steps S3401 to S3407, decision is made as to the relevant statusflags, respectively. By way of example, in the case where the statusflag is ‘0’, decisions in the steps S3401 to S3407 will all result innegation “No”. In that case, in a step S3408, recording/reproductionwaiting state is set, whereon the repair processing procedure comes toan end in a step S3409.

[0156]FIG. 23 shows, by way of example, the state of the managementinformation file 3202 and that of the moving picture file 3203 in thecase where the status flag is ‘1’. Because it is presumed that the powersupply breakage occurs in the course of recording of the moving picturedata, only the information recorded in the moving image file 3203 up tothe time point for starting the recording operation (indicated by apoint P3501) is reflected in the management information file 3202,giving rise to incoincidence or discrepancy in the contents between themanagement information file 3202 and the moving picture file 3203.Accordingly, in a step S3410 succeeding to the step S3401, themanagement information file 3202 is expanded on the managementinformation expansion memory 3006 to thereby acquire the informationconcerning the size of the moving picture file 3203 from the informationrecorded in the expanded management information file 3202. Since thesize acquired in this way represents the very point P3501 in the movingpicture file 3203, the data of the moving picture file 3203 succeedingto this point P3501 is read out from the optical disk 3009 to analyzethe stream data sequentially in a step S3411 for thereby repairing thedefective portion of the stream data itself while repairing concurrentlythe management information file 3202 by adding the relevant data whichthe management information file 3202 lacks. Upon completion of therepairing operation, the result of repairing is recorded onto theoptical disk 3009 in a step 3420. In that case, not only the managementinformation file 3202 and the moving picture file 3203 are recorded butalso the management information backup file 3205 which has the samecontents as those of the management information file 3202 is recorded aswell. In this conjunction, such arrangement may equally be adopted thatthe moving picture file 3203 is recorded appropriately on the opticaldisk 3009 concurrently with the progress of the repairing operation inthe step S3411 instead of being recorded in the step S3420. In a stepS3421, the status flag of the status storing memory 3011 is reset to ‘0’because of completion of the repairing operation. Subsequently, therecording/reproduction waiting state is set in the step S3408, whereonthe repair processing is terminated in the step S3409.

[0157] When the status flag is ‘2’, this means that because of the powersupply breakage in the course of recording of the management informationfile 3202, it is uncertain whether or not the contents thereof have beenrecorded correctly. Thus, in the step S3412 succeeding to the stepS3402, the contents of the management information backup file 3205 areexpanded on the management information expansion memory 3006 instead ofexpanding the contents of the management information file 3202. Theprocessings in the succeeding steps are essentially same as thoseexecuted when the status flag is ‘1’ as described above. Namely, thesize of the moving picture file 3203 is acquired from the managementinformation expanded in the step S3410, which is followed by the stepS3411 where the contents of the moving picture file 3203 which succeedto the point P3501 are read out from the optical disk 3009 for analyzingthe stream data to thereby execute the repair processing.

[0158] When the status flag is 131, this means that in contrast to thecase where the status flag ‘1’, the moving picture file 3203 has beenreplaced by the still picture file 3204. Similarly to the operationsdescribed above, in a step S3413 succeeding to the step S3403, themanagement information file 3202 is expanded on the managementinformation expansion memory 3006 to thereby acquire the informationconcerning the size of the still picture file 3204 from the informationrecorded in the expanded management information file. In succession, ina step S3414, information or data of the still picture file 3204 whichsucceeds to the size information acquired as mentioned above is read outfrom the optical disk 3009 for analyzing the stream data sequentially tothereby repair defective portion(s) of the stream data itself whilerepairing concurrently the management information file 3202 by addingthe relevant data which the management information file 3202 lacks. Uponcompletion of the repairing operation, the result of repairing isrecorded onto the optical disk 3009 in the step 3420 with the statusflag held by the status storing memory 3011 being reset to 101 in thestep S3421, and then the recording/reproduction waiting state is set inthe step S3408, whereon the repair processing is terminated in the stepS3409.

[0159] When the status flag is ‘4’, this means that because ofoccurrence of the power supply breakage in the course of recording ofthe management information file 3202, it is uncertain whether or not thecontents thereof have been recorded correctly, similarly to the casewhere the status flag is ‘2’. Thus, in a step S3415 succeeding to thestep S3404, the contents of the management information backup file 3205are expanded on the management information expansion memory 3006 insteadof expanding the contents of the management information file 3202. Theprocessings in the succeeding steps are essentially same as thoseexecuted when the status flag is ‘3’. Namely, the information concerningthe size of the still picture file 3204 is acquired from the managementinformation expanded in the step S3413, which is followed by the stepS3414 where the contents of the still picture file 3203 which succeed tothe size information acquired as described above are read out from theoptical disk 3009 for analyzing the stream data to thereby execute therepair processing.

[0160]FIG. 24 shows the states of the management information file 3202,the moving picture file 3203 and the still picture file 3204 in the casewhere the status flag is ‘5’. It is presumed, by way of example, thatthe power supply is interrupted in the course of partial deletion of themoving picture file 3203. In the figure, points P3601 to P3602 indicatethe portion which were to be deleted. However, it is uncertain whetheror not the data of this portion has been deleted correctly. Besides, theresult of the deletion is not reflected in the management informationfile 3202. Consequently, incoincidence or discrepancy occurs between themanagement information file 3202 and the moving picture file 3203. Onthe other hand, no incoincidence or discrepancy is taking place betweenthe management information file 3202 and the still picture file 3204.However, this status can not be decided only by checking simply themanagement information file 3202. Accordingly, the managementinformation file 3202 and the management information backup file 3205are deleted from the optical disk 3009 in a step S3416 which succeeds tothe step S3405. Subsequently, in a step S3417, the moving picture file3203 is firstly read out from the optical disk 3009 for analyzingsequentially the stream data thoroughly from the leading portion to theend thereof to thereby repair defective portion of the stream dataitself while executing concurrently the repair processing by generatingnewly the management information file 3202. Further, the still picturefile 3204 is read out from the optical disk 3009 for analyzingsequentially the stream data thoroughly from the leading portion to theend thereof in a step S3417 to thereby repair defective portion of thestream data itself while executing the repairing operation concurrentlyby adding the relevant data to the management information file 3202repaired as mentioned above. Upon completion of the repairing operation,the result of repairing is recorded onto the optical disk 3009 in thestep 3420. In that case, all the files inclusive of the managementinformation backup file 3205 are recorded. In this conjunction, itshould be added that such arrangement may equally be adopted that themoving picture file 3203 and the still picture file 3204 are recordedappropriately on the optical disk 3009 concurrently with the progress ofthe repairing operation in the step S3417 instead of recording them inthe step S3420. In the step S3421, the status flag held by the statusstoring memory 3011 is reset to ‘0’ with the recording/reproductionwaiting state being set in the step S3408, whereupon the repairprocessing is terminated in the step S3409.

[0161] When the status flag is ‘6’, this means that the power supply isinterrupted in the course of carrying out the edition only for themanagement information file 3202, without being accompanied with theedition of the AV data file. Accordingly, the status will be such thatno incoincidence or discrepancy is taking place between the managementinformation backup file 3205 and the moving picture file 3202 oralternatively between the management information backup file 3205 andthe still picture file 3203 although it is not clear in what state themanagement information file 3202 lies. Such being the circumstances, ina step S3418 succeeding to the step S3406, the contents of themanagement information backup file 3205 on the optical disk 3009 areoverwritten in place of the contents of the management information file3202. Subsequently, in the step S3421, the status flag of the statusstoring memory 3011 is reset to ‘0’ with the recording/reproductionwaiting state being set in the step S3408, whereon the repair processingcomes to an end in the step S3409.

[0162] When the status flag is ‘7’, this means that breakage of thepower supply has occurred in the course of recording the managementinformation backup file 3205. Thus, in a step S3419 succeeding to thestep S3407, the contents of the management information file 3202 on theoptical disk 3009 are overwritten in the form of the managementinformation backup file 3205. The processings in the succeeding stepsare essentially same as those described previously. Namely, in the stepS3421, the status flag held by the status storing memory 3011 is resetto ‘0’ with the recording/reproduction waiting state being set in thestep S3408, whereupon the repair processing comes to an end in the stepS3409.

[0163] As will now be understood from the foregoing description,according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention in which thestatus storing memory is provided for setting individually andappropriately the status flags indicating the recording, reproductionand the edit operations, respectively, it is possible to repair themanagement information and the AV data injured due to unexpected powersupply breakage by referencing the status flag upon restoration of thepower supply. Further, because repairing is performed by analyzingdirectly the stream data, there is no necessity of containing in advancethe data for repairing in the stream data. Furthermore, because therepair processing can be started from the relevant location in thestream data in dependence on the status flags, extraneous timeconsumption can be avoided.

[0164] In conjunction with the instant embodiment of the invention,description has been made that the repairing operation is carried outunconditionally in dependence on the status flags. It should however beappreciated that such arrangement may equally be adopted in which a stepis provided for requesting the user's command input after determinationof the status flag, wherein the repairing operation is performed inaccordance with the user's command as inputted. In that case, however,it will be necessary to make available such a mechanism that a messageinforming the operator of inadequacy of data on the disk is issued tothe operator by displaying the message or by adopting the like messagingfacility for coping with such situation in which the command forneglecting the repair is inputted by the user in response to the commandrequest issued by the apparatus.

[0165] In the repair processing procedure described in the foregoing,there may arise such a case in which the stream data of the AV data filecontains defective portion because of occurrence of power supplybreakage in the course of recording operation. In the following,description will be made of an embodiment of the present invention whichis directed to repairing method for remedying the defective portioncontained in the stream data in the repair processing proceduredescribed above, by illustrating exemplary contents thereof.

[0166] At first, a recording format of the AV data file will beelucidated by reference to FIG. 25.

[0167]FIG. 25 is a schematic view for illustrating, by way of example, adata structure in general of the moving picture file 3203 managedinternally of the management information file 3202. The moving picturefile 3203 is constituted by a series of units or objects for processing,as designated by reference numeral 3701. They are termed video object orVOB in short. At this juncture, it should however be mentioned thatalthough one VOB is ordinarily handled as one record unit generatedthrough a single recording operation, the invention is never restrictedthereto. One VOB 3701 is constituted in such a form that a plurality ofunits called VOB Unit or VOBU in short and designated by numeral 3702are arrayed in succession. The VOBU 3702 represents a constituent unitrequired for performing the special reproduction such as fast-feedreproduction, the fast-rewind reproduction and the like and serves as apredetermined encode unit on the basis of which the encoding isperformed. As described hereinbefore, the international standards “MPEG2Video Specification (ISO/IEC13818-2)” is generally adopted as theencoding scheme for the picture data, according to which the VOBU 3702is implemented in such a structure which contains one or more sheets ofI-picture(s) which is specified as the in-plane encoded picture in thestandards mentioned above. Further, the VOBU 3702 is implemented in sucha structure in which appropriate numbers of video packs (indicated byaffixing “V”) designated by numeral 3703, audio packs (indicated byaffixing “A”) designated by numeral 3704, etc., respectively, aremultiplexed in the form being synchronized with each other.Parenthetically, it should be added that although the VOBU 3702 maycontain other pack(s) in addition to the two species mentioned above,the following description of the embodiment of the invention will bemade on the presumption that the VOBU 3702 is composed of the packs oftwo species mentioned above because the pack of any other species doesnot play any essential role. On the other hand, as the encoding schemefor the audio data, the MPEG2 audio specifications (ISO/IEC13818-3) maybe adopted as in the case of the picture data. However, the MPEG1 audiospecifications (ISO/ICE11172-3) or the linear PCM sound system mayequally be adopted or employed. Accordingly, the present invention isnot restricted to any particular audio data encoding scheme, beingunderstood, however, that the MPEG2 standards (ISO/IECI13818-1) aregenerally adopted as the multiplexing schemes for the video packs 3703and the audio packs 3704.

[0168]FIG. 26 is a view showing structures of the video pack 3703 andthe audio pack 3704. More specifically, shown in FIG. 26 at (a) is astructure of the pack disposed in the VOBU 3702 at the leading position,while shown in FIG. 26 at (b) is a structure of the pack disposed at aposition other than the leading position in the VOBU 3702. One pack hasa fixed length of 2408 bytes. More specifically, the leading pack of theVOBU 3702 is comprised of a pack header 3801 of 14 bytes, a systemheader 3802 of 24 bytes, a packet header 3803 succeeding thereto andadditionally real data 3804 concerning the picture or sound, asillustrated in FIG. 26 at (a). The packet header 3803 and the real data3804 have variable lengths in dependence on the contents of the data.Thus, it can discriminatively be determined by checking the contents ofthe packet header 3803 whether the relevant pack is a video pack or anaudio pack. On the other hand, as can be seen in FIG. 26 at (b), such astructure is adopted for the packs other than the leading pack of theVOBU 3702 in which the system header 3802 is absent, when compared withthe leading pack of the VOBU 3702 described above. At this juncture, itshould be added that the units subjected to the processing such as VOBand VOBU are used only for performing the data management in themanagement information file 3202. Accordingly, considering the movingpicture file 3203 and the still picture file 3204 simply as the data,these VOBs and VOBUs are recognized as series of stream data which aremultiplexed in accordance with the MPEG2 system standards describedpreviously. Parenthetically, details of the multiplexing scheme itselfare disclosed in the written MPEG2 system standards mentionedpreviously. Thus, description thereof in detail will be unnecessary.

[0169]FIG. 27 is a view illustrating a sixth embodiment of the presentinvention, which shows, by way of example, a method according to whichthe management information file 3202 and the moving picture file 3203themselves are repaired by analyzing the moving picture file 3203 readout from the optical disk 3009 in the repairing operation describedpreviously. Parenthetically, “P” shown in the figure represents a videopack or an audio pack, and m, n and k represent positive integers,respectively. As described hereinbefore in conjunction with the fifthembodiment of the invention, in the case where the analysis is performedfrom the leading position of the stream data with the status flag being‘5’ upon stating of the repairing operation or in the case where theanalysis is performed from an intermediate position of the stream data(point P3501 shown in FIG. 23) with the status flag being ‘1’ or ‘2’,the starting position is a pack delimiting position. It is assumed, byway of example, that the stream data analysis for repairing the m-th VOB(represented by VOB#m, same in the description which follows) in FIG.27. In that case, so far as all the succeeding stream data are normal,delimitation of the VOBU can be determined by detecting the pack header3801 mentioned above and then detecting the system header 3802. Thus,information concerning the number of packs constituting the VOB and VOBUas well as the time information of each VOBU can be acquired.Furthermore, by analyzing a part of the leading portion of the packetheader 3803 and a part of a leading portion of the real data 3804, theinformation concerning the number of packs constituting the I-pictureinternally of the VOBU as well as the time information for decoding canbe acquired. Thus, the information concerning the stream data whichsucceed to the VOB#m can be reflected in the management information file3202. In that case, the analysis may be performed successively on apack-by-pack basis. Thus, there arises no necessity of analyzing all ofthe real data 3804.

[0170] At this juncture, it is presumed that the VOB#m shown in FIG. 27is composed of k VOBUs and that at the point P3901 of the n-th VOBU(represented by VOBU#n, same in the description which follows), a defectof the stream data such as dropout of the pack header and the systemheader or improperness of the time information for decoding is detected.Since generation of the management information file 3202 with thedefective portion being left as it is will incur the possibility thatthe reproduction output display contains defectiveness, needless to say.For this reason, the VOBU in which the point P3901 is contained isdeleted from the stream data. In that case, when the VOBU of concern islocated at an intermediate 5 position of the VOB, the time informationfor each VOBU becomes discontinuous due to the delete processing.Accordingly, the management information file 3202 is so processed thatthe VOB is delimited at the position mentioned above. As a result ofthis, the VOB#m is composed of (n−1) VOBUs, while VOB#(m+1) is composedof (k−1) VOBUs. In succession, the repairing operation is continued upto the trailing end of the stream data, wherein the delete processingsimilar to that described above is carried out upon every detection ofdefective portions.

[0171] As is apparent from the above, according to the sixth embodimentof the present invention, analysis of the stream data is performed on aper-pack basis in the repair processing, wherein upon detection ofdefect of data, the data delete processing is performed on a per-VOBUbasis and reflected in the management information. By virtue of thisfeature, it is possible to correct or cancel out discrepancy orincoincidence between the management information file and the AV datafile.

[0172]FIG. 28 is a view illustrating a seventh embodiment of the presentinvention and shows an example of repairing of the managementinformation file 3202 and the moving picture file 3203 themselves byanalyzing the moving picture file 3203 read out from the optical disk3009 as in the case of the example described above by reference to FIG.27. Similarly to the case illustrated in FIG. 27, it is supposed thatthe VOB#m is composed of k VOBUs and that at the point P3101 of theVOBU#n, a defect of the stream data such as dropout of the pack headerand/or the system header or improperness of the time information to bedecoded is detected.

[0173] Since generation of the management information file 3202 with thedefective portion being contained as it is will incur a possibility thatthe reproduction output display may contain defectiveness, as describedpreviously in conjunction with the sixth embodiment. However, accordingto the invention incarnated in the instant embodiment, the VOBU in whichthe point P3901 is contained is not deleted from the stream data buthandled as the independent VOB in the ordinary manner internally of themanagement information. More specifically, the attribute of theconcerned VOB is set as “A1” internally of the management information.Further, for the item decided as defective, as mentioned above, a valuewhich can be accommodated by the Standards is recorded as a dummy. Byway of example, in the case where the time information is reversedbetween the leading portion and the trailing end portion of the VOB, thetime information is corrected to appropriate values internally of themanagement information so that the reversal mentioned above makesdisappearance.

[0174] When the VOBU of concern is located at an intermediate positionof the VOB, the VOBU is managed independently as a VOB. Accordingly, themanagement information file 3202 is so processed that the VOB isdelimited before and after the position mentioned above. As a result ofthis, the VOB#m is composed of one VOBU, while VOB#(m+2) is composed of(k-n) VOBUs. In succession, the repairing operation is carried outcontinuously up to the trailing end of the stream data, and theprocessing similar to that described above is executed upon everydetection of a defective portion.

[0175] When the repairing operation of the moving picture file 3203 isperformed on the basis of the management information file 3202 updatedthrough the repair processing described above, the VOB#(n+1) is notreproduced since it is set with the attribute “temporarily deleted”.However, since the operator can recognize existence of data of theattribute “temporarily deleted” through the medium of the output unit3010 and the user interface (I/F) 3003 shown in FIG. 19, it is possibleto delete the relevant data portion afterwards. Furthermore, in the casewhere the contents on the optical disk 3009 in the state mentioned aboveis handled with a personal computer or PC, it is possible to analyze allthe data since any portion of the moving picture file 3203 is notmodified at all through the repairing operation.

[0176] As is apparent from the above, according to the teaching of theinvention incarnated in the seventh embodiment, the stream data isanalyzed on a per-pack basis for the repairing purpose, wherein upondetection of a defect in the stream data, the relevant VOBU in themanagement information is handled as the VOB to be managed as theattribute “temporarily deleted” for correcting the discrepancy orincoincidence between the management information file and the AV datafile. Thus, the reproduction output can be protected against anyimproperness.

[0177] In the foregoing, description has been made in conjunction withthe exemplary embodiments of the present invention on the presumptionthat eight different values are used as the values for the status flag.However, the present invention is never restricted to any specificnumber of the status flag values. A greater number of status flag valuesmay be employed for realizing the repair processing more finely.Alternatively, the repair processing may be simplified by using asmaller number of status flag values. Further, in conjunction with thesixth and seventh embodiments of the invention, description has beenmade on the assumption that repairing of the moving picture file 3203 isperformed because of occurrence of the power supply breakage in thecourse of repairing the moving picture file. It should however beunderstood that the method described previously in this conjunction canequally be applied to the repair processing for the still picture file3204 for which the status flag value is ‘3’ or ‘4’ through similarmanagement procedure such as deletion of VOBU containing the defectiveportion, alteration or change of the attribute thereof or the like.Incidentally, the method of determining the defective location orposition in the stream data has not been described in detail. It shouldhowever be appreciated that the states to be decided as suffering thedefectiveness are not restricted to those described previously but mayinclude such state in which the amount of data as recorded is extremelysmall, etc. In other words, the level or degree of defectiveness can bealtered appropriately as the case may be.

[0178] Furthermore, although the foregoing description of theillustrated embodiments has been made on the assumption that therecording apparatus is constituted by a camera. However, this is only byway of example and the present invention is never restricted to thecamera. Since the unexpected power supply breakage will take place evenin the fixed type information recording/reproducing apparatus operatingunder power supply tapped from the interior wiring, the presentinvention can equally be carried out upon restoration of the powersupply in such application as mentioned just above.

[0179] Additionally, as to the recording medium, optical disk such asDVD disk or the like has been exemplified. However, the presentinvention is never restricted to the recording on such optical disk butcan be carried out equally in the case where the recording medium onwhich information is recorded on a real time basis such as magnetic DVDdisks, semiconductor memories or the like are employed.

[0180] Besides, in the foregoing description of the exemplaryembodiments of the invention, it has been assumed that the volatilememory is employed as the management information expansion memory onwhich the management information is developed pr expanded. However, thepresent invention can also be carried out equally in the case where thenonvolatile memory is employed as well. In that case, reliability of theinformation record/reproduce processings executed upon occurrence of theunexpected power supply breakage can further be enhanced.

[0181] As is apparent from the foregoing, according to the teachings ofthe present invention, even when the recording operation is suddenlyinterrupted due to occurrence of breakage of electric power supply, itis possible to generate the bit stream file which contains theinformation for repairing the management information file and the bitstream file which have been written on the recording medium until theelectric power supply is stopped.

[0182] Additionally, according to the present invention, even when therecording is stopped due to unexpected occurrence of electric powersupply breakage, it is possible to repair the management informationfile and the bit stream file written on the recording medium until theelectric power supply is broken.

[0183] In addition, according to the teachings of the present invention,it is possible to decide selectively whether or not repairing operationis to be carried out when electric power supply is restored afterinterruption of the recording operation due to occurrence of unexpectedbreakage of the power supply in the course of the recording operation.Besides, even in the case where it is determined that the repairingoperation is not to be carried out, the succeeding recording operationcan be started. More specifically, when outdoor video recording is beingperformed by using a camera or the like and when the recording operationis stopped or interrupted due to unexpected shutdown of the powersupply, execution of the repairing operation upon restoration of thepower supply makes it impossible to carry out immediately the succeedingrecording operation on the one and same recording medium because a lotof time is taken for repairing. However, according to the teachings ofthe present invention, the succeeding recording operation can beinstantaneously started upon restoration of the power supply even forthe one and same recording medium. Thus, wasteful consumption of timeand electric power can be avoided while ensuring significantly improvedconvenience for the user in using the recording apparatus.

[0184] Moreover, according to the present invention, detaileddiscriminating information concerning the operating states is stored byproviding the status storing memory so that the management informationfile and the AV data file can be repaired by referencing the statusdiscriminating information when the power supply is restored afterunexpected breakage thereof. Since repairing is realized by analyzingdirectly the stream data, there arises no necessity of containing inadvance the repairing data in the stream data, but the repairingoperation can be started from the concerned location in the stream datain accordance with the status discriminating information mentionedabove. Thus, extraneous time and power consumption can be avoided.

[0185] Furthermore, according to the present invention, analysis of thestream data is performed on a predetermined unit basis, and upondetection of defectiveness of data, data delete processing is executedon an appropriate per-code basis for the relevant data portioncontaining the defect, which is then reflected in the managementinformation. Thus, it is possible to correctively cope with discrepancyor incoincidence between the management information file and the AV datafile, whereby any adverse influence to the succeeding recording,reproduction and/or editing operation can positively be prevented.

[0186] Additionally, according to the present invention, the stream datais analyzed on a predetermined per-unit basis in the repairingoperation, wherein when a data defect is detected, the relevant codeunit of the management information containing the data defect is handledas an encode unit of a higher level which can be managed independently.Thus, by managing it as the attribute such as the attribute “temporarilydeleted” which exerts no influence to the succeeding recording,reproduction and/or the editing operation, discrepancy or incoincidencepossibly existing between the management information file and the AVdata file can be correctively avoided. Additionally, since it is notrequired to process especially the stream data, it is possible toreference the whole AV data file on the disk by resorting to otherappropriate procedure.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information recording/reproducing apparatuscharacterized in that said apparatus comprises recording datamultiplexing means for multiplexing at least encoded video data andencoded audio data, record data storing means for storing data outputtedfrom said recording data multiplexing means,management-information-generation-destined data generating means forgenerating data required for generating management information forreproducing data recorded on said recording medium on the basis of dataobtained from said recording data multiplexing means, managementinformation storing means for storing said management information,management information generating means for generating said managementinformation on the basis of output of saidmanagement-information-generation-destined data generating means forwriting or reading said management information in or from saidmanagement information storing means, recording medium drive processingmeans for recording or reading on or from the recording medium at leastinformation outputted from said recording data storing means orinformation outputted from said management information generating means,recording status storing means for storing status information indicativeof status of recording processing, and consolidative management meansfor managing said recording data multiplexing means, said recording datastoring means, said management-information-generation-destined datagenerating means, said management information generating means, saidmanagement information storing means, said recording medium driveprocessing means and said recording status storing means, wherein saidconsolidative management means is arranged to write or read out saidstatus information onto or from said recording status storing means. 2.An information recording/reproducing apparatus set forth in claim 1,characterized in that said apparatus comprises said recording mediumdrive processing means for recording or reading out information on orfrom a recording medium, record data demultiplexing means fordemultiplexing the encoded video data and the encoded audio data fromthe information read out from said recording medium, saidmanagement-information-generation-destined data generating means forgenerating data required for generating management information forreproducing data recorded on said recording medium on the basis of thedata obtained from said record data demultiplexing means, saidmanagement information storing means for storing said managementinformation, said management information generating means for generatingsaid management information on the basis of output of saidmanagement-information-generation-destined data generating means forwriting or reading said management information in or from saidmanagement information storing means, management information readingmeans for reading out said management information from information readout from said recording medium for outputting said managementinformation to said management information storing means, andconsolidative management means for managing said record datademultiplexing means, said management-information-generation-destineddata generating means, said management information generating means,said management information storing means, said recording medium driveprocessing means, said management information reading means and saidrecording status storing means, wherein said recording medium driveprocessing means is designed to record the information outputted fromsaid management information generating means on said recording medium,and wherein said consolidative management means is designed to write orread out said status information onto or from said recording statusstoring means.
 3. An information recording/reproducing apparatus setforth in claim 1, characterized in that said recording status storingmeans is implemented as storing means which holds the stored informationeven when electric power supply is broken.
 4. An informationrecording/reproducing apparatus set forth in claim 2, characterized inthat the information recorded on said recording medium is so processedas to be reproducible information on the basis of said statusinformation read out from said recording status storing means.
 5. Aninformation recording/reproducing apparatus set forth in claim 2,characterized in that the information read out from said recordingmedium is checked on the basis of said status information read out fromsaid recording status storing means to thereby delete data from a recordunit containing unreproducible information up to an end of a file.
 6. Aninformation recording/reproducing apparatus set forth in claim 2,characterized in that a group of management units composed ofinformation read out from said recording medium is checked on the basisof said status information read out from said recording status storingmeans to thereby delete the management unit including the record unitcontaining unreproducible information, and that those management unitswhich include a starting one of said management unit group up to therecord unit containing said unreproducible information are defined as afirst management unit group while the management units including therecord unit containing said unreproducible information up to the end ofsaid management unit group are defined as a second management unitgroup.
 7. In an information recording/reproducing apparatus set forth inclaim 2, an editor apparatus characterized in that the informationoutputted from said recording data storing means is recorded in the formof a data file on said recording medium with the information outputtedfrom said management information generating means being stored on saidrecording medium as first and second plural sets of managementinformation files, and that said apparatus comprises file system manageprocessing means for managing the files so that the file can be writtenor read out on or from said recording medium in a predetermined fileformat or a new file can be generated from two files, first managementinformation file read processing means for reading said first set ofmanagement information file from said file system manage processingmeans, first management information storing means for storing said firstset of management information read out from said first managementinformation file read processing means as first management information,management information file write processing means for reading out saidfirst management information from said first management informationstoring means to thereby write said first management information in saidfile system manage processing means as said first set of managementinformation file, second management information file read processingmeans for reading out said second set of management information filefrom said file system manage processing means, second managementinformation storing means for storing said second set of managementinformation read out from said second management information file readprocessing means as second management information, combine processingmeans for generating new management information from the informationstored in said first management information storing means and theinformation stored in said second management information storing meansto thereby write said new management information in said firstmanagement information storing means, wherein said data file and saidplural sets of management information files are combined in one set. 8.In an information recording/reproducing apparatus set forth in claim 7,an editor apparatus characterized in that plural sets of said data fileand said management information file recorded on said recording mediuminclude two or more sets of said data file and said managementinformation file and that said two or more sets of said data file andsaid management information file are combined in one set.
 9. Aninformation recording/reproducing apparatus set forth in claim 7,characterized in that a first set of said data file and said managementinformation file recorded on said recording medium are checked on thebasis of said status information read out from said recording statusstoring means to thereby alter an identifier of said first set to asecond identifier in the case where the unreproducible information isincluded in said first set, wherein a new data file and a new managementinformation file to be recorded on said recording medium is recorded onsaid recording medium as a first set of the new data file and the newmanagement information file.
 10. A recording apparatus for recordingvideo/audio data on a recording medium, comprising video encoding meansfor encoding an analog video signal, audio encoding means for encodingan analog audio signal, video/audio/management information multiplexingmeans for generating data required for generating management informationdata for making random access to said recording medium and effectuatingspecial reproduction of said recording medium for thereby multiplexingthe data required for generating said management information data,encoded video data outputted from said video encoding means and encodedaudio data outputted from said audio encoding means, a stream buffer forstoring multiplexed data outputted from said video/audio/managementinformation multiplexing means by a predetermined amount for writingsaid multiplexed data onto said recording medium as a bit stream file, avolatile management information expansion memory for storing saidmanagement information data, management information generating means forgenerating management information data from the data required forgeneration of said management information data to thereby write saidmanagement information data in said volatile management informationexpansion memory while writing said management information data ontosaid recording medium as a management information file, managementinformation expanding means for reading out said management informationfile from said recording medium to thereby expand said managementinformation file on said volatile management information expansionmemory, recording medium drive means for directly reading/writing datafrom/onto said recording medium, a nonvolatile recording status memorywhich is a nonvolatile memory for storing process of recordingprocessing, and consolidative management means for managingconsolidatively said video encoding means, said audio encoding means,said video/audio/management information multiplexing means, said streambuffer, said management information generating means, said managementinformation expanding means, said volatile management informationexpansion memory and said recording medium drive means, to therebywrite/read the status of processings thereof in/from said nonvolatilerecording status memory.
 11. A recording information repairingapparatus, characterized in that said apparatus comprisesvideo/audio/management information demultiplexing means for reading outa bit stream file recorded on a recording medium to thereby demultiplexencoded video data, encoded audio data and data required for generatingmanagement information data, a volatile management information expansionmemory for storing said management information data, managementinformation generating means for generating management information datafrom data required for generation of said management information data tothereby write said management information data in said volatilemanagement information expansion memory while writing said managementinformation data onto said recording medium as a management informationfile, management information expanding means for reading out saidmanagement information file from said recording medium to thereby expandsaid management information file on said volatile management informationexpansion memory, recording medium drive means for directlyreading/writing data from/onto said recording medium, a nonvolatilerecording status memory which is a nonvolatile memory for storingprocess of recording processing, and consolidative management means formanaging consolidatively said video/audio/management informationdemultiplexing means, said management information generating means, saidmanagement information expanding means, said volatile managementinformation expansion memory and said recording medium drive means, tothereby write/read the status of processings thereof in/from data ofsaid nonvolatile recording status memory.
 12. An editor apparatus,characterized in that said apparatus comprises a recording medium havingan area for recording plural sets of management information files formanaging an encoded picture data file and a picture data file, recordingmedium drive processing means for writing/reading out informationonto/from said recording medium, file system manage processing means forwriting/reading out a file onto/from said recording medium in apredetermined file format and/or combining two files, managementinformation file read processing means for commanding reading of saidmanagement information file from said file system manage processingmeans, a management information expansion memory for storing thereinsaid management information file read out from said managementinformation file read processing means as management informationexpansion data, management information file write processing means forreading out said management information expansion data from saidmanagement information expansion memory to command writing of saidmanagement information expansion data in the file system manageprocessing means as said management information file, backup managementinformation file read processing means for commanding reading of abackup management information file from said file system manageprocessing means, said backup management information file being a fileof a same format as said management information file but differing fromsaid management information file, a backup management informationexpansion memory for storing therein said backup management informationfile read out from said backup management information file readprocessing means as backup management information expansion data, andcombine processing means for combining integrally the information ofsaid management information expansion memory and the information of saidbackup management information expansion memory to write the combinedinformation in said management information expansion memory, whereinplural sets of said picture data files and said management informationfiles are combined together into one set.
 13. In an editor apparatus setforth in claim 3, a recording apparatus characterized in that saidapparatus comprises moving picture compression-encode processing meansfor performing compression-encoding of analog moving pictures, soundcompression-encode processing means for performing compression-encodingof analog sound, moving picture/sound multiplex processing means formultiplexing compression-encoded moving picture data outputted from saidmoving picture compression-encode processing means andcompression-encoded sound data outputted from said soundcompression-encode processing means, management-information-expansiondata generate processing means for acquiring information required formanagement information file generation from said moving picture/soundcompression-multiplex processing means to write additionally saidinformation in management information expansion data expanded on saidmanagement information expansion memory as management informationexpansion data, a stream buffer for storing once temporarily amultiplexed stream outputted from said moving picture/soundcompression-multiplex processing means, stream buffer managing means forcommanding writing of said multiplexed data into said file systemmanaging means from said stream buffer as a multiplexed stream file, anonvolatile status management memory which is a nonvolatile memory forstoring process stage statuses of recording processing, repairprocessing means for repairing format of said management informationfile or said multiplexed stream file to restore a normal format thereofwhen said management information file or said multiplexed stream file isabnormal, and activate processing means designed upon activation thereofto supervise said nonvolatile status management memory, issue a commandfor expanding said management information file on said managementinformation expansion memory in dependence on status, command saidrepair processing means to repair the management information file andsaid multiplexed stream file, command said repair processing means toalter names of the management information file and said multiplexedstream file, and combine plural sets of said picture data files and saidmanagement information files into one set.
 14. An informationrecording/reproducing method for recording picture/sound data on thebasis of said management information, characterized in that controlmeans is provided for controlling operations in general inclusive ofsaid recording and reproduction and storing means is provided forstoring statuses, wherein said control means is so arranged as to storesequentially in said storing means status discriminating informationindicative of operating statuses such as recording, reproduction,edition and the like, and wherein upon activation, said control meansreads out said status discriminating information from said storing meansto analyze said picture/sound data in accordance with said statusdiscriminating information for thereby correcting said managementinformation and said picture/sound data themselves into information anddata each of proper format.
 15. An information recording/reproducingmethod set forth in claim 14, characterized in that when it is decidedon the basis of said status discriminating information read out fromsaid storing means that information succeeding to a specific location ofsaid picture/sound data is not reflected yet in said managementinformation, analysis is performed for said picture/sound data from thelocation where said picture/sound data is not reflected in saidmanagement information by acquiring the information from said managementinformation.
 16. An information recording/reproducing method set forthin claim 14, characterized in that when it is decided on the basis ofsaid status discriminating information read out from said storing meansthat an intermediate portion of said picture/sound data is not reflectedyet in said management information, analysis is performed for saidpicture/sound data from a leading location thereof.
 17. An informationrecording/reproducing apparatus in which the informationrecording/reproducing method set forth in claim 14 is adopted.
 18. Aninformation recording/reproducing method set forth in claim 14,characterized in that when improperness is detected in an intermediateportion of said picture/sound data in the course of picture/sound dataanalyzing operation performed in dependence on said statusdiscriminating information, a management-dedicated subunit of saidpicture/sound data which contains said improperness is deleted.
 19. Aninformation recording/reproducing method set forth in claim 14,characterized in that when improperness is detected in an intermediateportion of said picture/sound data in the course of picture/sound dataanalyzing operation performed in dependence on said statusdiscriminating information, said management information is so updatedthat a management-dedicated subunit of said picture/sound datacontaining said improperness can be handled independently as amanagement-dedicated unit of a higher rank, and that saidmanagement-dedicated unit handled independently is handled as anattribute not to be outputted for reproduction.
 20. An informationrecording/reproducing apparatus in which the informationrecording/reproducing method set forth in claim 18 is adopted.
 21. Aninformation recording/reproducing apparatus in which the informationrecording/reproducing method set forth in claim 19 is adopted.
 22. Aninformation recording/reproducing method characterized in that saidmethod comprises a recording data multiplexing step of multiplexing atleast encoded video data and encoded audio data, a record data storingstep of storing data outputted from said recording data multiplexingstep, a management-information-generation-destined data generating stepof generating data required for generating management information forreproducing data recorded on said recording medium, a managementinformation generating step of generating said management information onthe basis of output from said management-information-generation-destineddata generating step, a management information storing step of storingsaid management information, a step of reading out said managementinformation stored in said management information storing step, arecording medium drive processing step of recording/reading on/from arecording medium at least the information stored in said recording datastoring step or the information stored in said management informationstoring step, a recording status storing step of storing statusinformation indicative of statuses of recording processing, and a stepof reading out said status information stored in said recording statusstoring step.
 23. An information recording/reproducing method set forthin claim 22, characterized in that said method comprises said recordingmedium drive processing step of recording information on said recordingmedium or rea ding the information from said recording medium, a recorddata demultiplexing step of demultiplexing the encoded video data andthe encoded audio data from the information read out from said recordingmedium, said management-information-generation-destined data generatingstep of generating data required for generating management informationfor reproducing data recorded on said recording medium on the basis ofthe data obtained from said record data demultiplexing step, saidmanagement information generation step of generating said managementinformation on the basis of the output from saidmanagement-information-generation-destined data generating step, saidmanagement information storing step of storing said managementinformation, a step of outputting said management information to themanagement information storing step from said management informationgeneration step or reading out said management information stored insaid management information storing step, a management informationreading step of reading out said management information from theinformation read from said recording medium to thereby output saidmanagement information to said management information storing step, astep of recording the information outputted from said managementinformation generation step on said recording medium, a recording statusstoring step of storing status information indicative of statuses ofrecording processing, and a step of reading out said status informationstored in said recording status storing step.